Review by Emma
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review
Come From Away is an extraordinary true story. The devastating events of 9/11 back in 2001 may not be your average musical theatre inspiration, but one thing it succeeds in is showing of kindness triumphs in the face of adversity. On that day, the town of Gander, Newfoundland, found itself unexpectedly hosting around 7,000 people after 38 planes were grounded by the Federal Aviation Authority.
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| Photo by Poyner and Mee Photography. |
The cast of 12 play both the residents of Gander and their international visitors, showcasing an impressive array of accents accordingly. It’s hard to pick standouts in such an ensemble project but gay couple Kevin and Kevin (Vaughan Barton-Ashcroft and Dan Brewer), mayor Claude Elliott (Andy Marmoy), Captain Beverley Bass (Sarah Barton-Wales) and animal saviour Bonnie Harris (Liz Kavanagh) were my particular favourites. Joshua Taylor Williams turned in an hilarious performance as a sexy Virgin Atlantic pilot (calm DOWN, Annette!), and Cathy Robinson and Norman Buckby gave a delightfully sweet portrayal of Diane and Nick, an unexpected coupling thrown together by circumstance. There wasn’t a weak link in the cast, so to avoid leaving someone out, HUGE congratulations should also go to David Jackson, Carissma Griffiths, Lutricia Russell and Clare Snow. I could write lines about how good everyone was but I’m fairly sure this review has some sort of word limit. Griffiths and Snow, sharing a highly emotional phone call towards the end, made me cry, something I wasn’t expecting to do on a Wednesday night in the middle of Leicester. Still, for every touching moment there was an equal moment of comedy and humour; you’re in the right place if you want to see six sexy cardiologists on their way to a conference.
The musical as a whole is a bit of a weird one. It’s almost entirely sung-through and yet none of the songs are particularly memorable. While that could be a point against it, it actually works in the musical’s favour. We kick off with a the foot-stomping, rousing opening number (‘Welcome to the Rock’) and later veer to a heartfelt ballad (‘I am Here’), but the music seems almost continuous, really adding to the theme of togetherness and ensemble that shines bright and clear throughout. The band is conducted admirably (I assume – they’re hidden behind set – but I didn’t hear a wrong note!) by Kate Bale. Choreography by Danielle Sanders is perfect, with each cast member moving furniture and props like it’s second nature. It really is yet another tick in the “let’s build a show about community” box.
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| Photo by Poyner and Mee |
If I have to write about niggles – and believe me, they were exceedingly few and far between – it would have to be about the sound. Some cast members were harder to hear than others; I thought maybe it was the sometimes unintelligible Newfoundland accents (which were very, very good) but it definitely seemed more like a microphone issue. I was sitting in the back row and although I made out 95% of the words, I struggled at times.
There are beautiful touches of reality written throughout the show, which, in all honestly, I thought were not going to turn out great in a cast of fairly limited diversity. However, it doesn’t pain me to say I was wrong. One of the characters unexpectedly in Gander is Ali, an Egyptian chef, who is treated with suspicion by the townspeople and outright hostility by the airline once the truth of the terrorist attack comes out. He, of course, is not a terrorist nor is in any way responsible for the attacks; he’s just a man, trying to get back to his family and wanting to help out in any way he can in the meantime. It’s a stark reminder of the reality of human beings; we’re all guilty of making snap judgements on someone, even if those judgements later turn out to be misplaced.
Ultimately, for a show with such a tragic backdrop, Come From Away keeps us rooted in a sense of upbeat community spirit throughout, and leaves us with an uplifting message; it’s down to us to show the best of humanity, even when the worst of it rears its head.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Come From Away marks The Idols final production after 70 years of history. Do not miss the chance to catch the production which plays until Saturday 18th October 2025. Tickets are available from https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/
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| Photo by Poyner and Mee |
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