REVIEW: Come From Away, West End (Phoenix Theatre, London)

(The West End cast of Come From Away, Photo by Craig Sugden)

Over two decades ago, on the northeast tip of North America, on an island called Newfoundland, an almost defunct airport became an integral part of the stories of over 7000 people stranded in its nearby towns following the tragic events of 9/11. While this airport may be a bit too far for most of us to visit, we get to hear a handful of these stories in the Olivier Award-winning musical Come From Away 8 times a week in Charing Cross’s Phoenix Theatre.

With music and lyrics composed by Canadian husband and wife duo Irene Sankoff and David Hein, the show eases you into its world with a simple drum beat and half a minute of a spoken monologue, setting up the location and events of the show, but that half a minute is all you get to steady yourself before the spotlights flare, the cast shouts ‘Welcome to the Rock!’, and you’re launched face first into the breathtaking spectacle that is Come From Away.

The show follows true stories from the thousands of people who were onboard 38 passenger planes that were diverted to Gander International Airport following the events of 9/11, ranging from the townsfolk of Gander who lent their time, homes and supplies to welcoming the stranded passengers, and the plane passengers, or ‘plane people’ themselves, amongst them American Airlines Captain Beverley Bass, and eventual couple Nick and Diane.

Though its set seems spare, with a few tree trunks framing a wood-panelled backdrop, and a dozen wooden chairs and a sprinkling of tables, the set transforms itself into a myriad of scenes – Tim Hortons, various passenger planes, a bar, a town council meeting room – with a turntable and some extremely complicated ‘chair-ography’.

But the set isn’t the only thing that plays multiple roles. Each of the dozen actors that form Come From Away’s cast each evening plays at least three roles, aided by quick subtle onstage costume changes as the show swings through different scenes. Annette/Beverley Bass/Others’s actress swings through her various combinations of her base white t-shirt, Annette vest and Beverley pilot jacket approximately 30 times during each show.

(The West End cast of Come From Away, Photo by Craig Sugden)

The entire cast of Come From Away raises the bar for ensemble shows right into the stratosphere, it’s so incredibly rare for each member to be such a remarkable theatrical heavyweight. Personal standout performances include Alice Fearn of Wicked fame as Annette/Captain Beverley Bass/Others, Jonathan Andrew Hume as Kevin J/Ali/Others, and Mark Dugdale as Kevin T/Garth/Others.

I was particularly heartened by the show’s effort to be inclusive. At one of the shows I attended, Lucy Park, one of Come From Away’s wonderful swings, had swung in for the role of Hannah and Others, a role typically played by Gemma Knight Jones. One of Hannah’s ‘others’ roles includes an African woman on a bus who is unable to speak English, and speaks to the bus driver in a scripted Swahili line. As Park is of a Korean heritage, I was extremely delighted to hear that the character’s Swahili line had been switched to a Korean one, something I assume must have been a collaborative effort between the actress and the show’s musical director, since I had never heard of an alternate Korean line for the character before. A small gesture, but one that doesn’t happen often enough.

At 110 minutes, with no interval, it may be one of the shorter shows on the West End (traditional 2 act musicals are generally 2 and a half hours long with a 15-20 minute interval), but the sheer force of Come From Away’s story has had its audience on its feet every single night it’s been on. Come From Away is a stunning tale of hope, compassion, and kindness that will have you crying, laughing, and dancing in the aisles.

Come From Away closes on the West End on the 7th of January 2023, with a UK tour planned for 2023-2024. Tickets and information can be found at comefromawaylondon.co.uk