They’re Back and Better than Ever!

Reviewed by Mary Alderson

My eyes filled with tears the second the actors came on stage. It was like catching up with old friends. And it only gets better from that moment. If you haven’t seen Come From Away, you must! If you have seen it, I guarantee you will love seeing it again, especially with this cast that gives it their all.

This marks the 5^th time I’ve seen this show: first I saw the Broadway cast in Toronto in 2016, and then took a busload of friends. Then I saw the Toronto cast in 2018, and again, took a bus full of friends to see it later. That show was closed by Covid, with a brief reopening until Covid struck the cast again.

They have now returned, healthy, strong, and here to stay for a long run, we hope. This cast’s talent and enthusiasm is the best I’ve seen.

For those not familiar, this is a 9/11 (or rather 9/12) Gander, Newfoundland musical. Here’s the story: Gander, Newfoundland is a quiet little town with a big, old airport. Originally, it was a very busy refuelling stop for planes crossing the Atlantic, and everyone flying to North America stopped in Gander – Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, you name them. But with the advent of jets, the refuelling stop wasn’t needed. Suddenly, on September 11, 2001, after the terrorist attacks on New York’s World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, all the airspace over the USA was closed. Planes crossing the Atlantic were forced to land at the nearest airport. The sleepy Gander airport was suddenly called upon to take in 38 jumbo jets. The town didn’t have enough hotels for the onslaught of 6,000 passengers, so schools and community centres provided accommodation, in Gander and the surrounding villages.

This musical tells how the people of Gander welcomed visitors from around the world. The story is told with fun and humour, but also with respect for the differences in cultures. Most importantly, it is told with reverence for the seriousness of the situation. The young couple, Irene Sankoff and David Hein, who wrote the script, lyrics and music, handled the many stories they collected brilliantly, creating a great record of that special event, as well as a very entertaining piece of theatre.

So why is Come From Away such a great piece of theatre?  Here are the five reasons I had when I first saw it in 2016, and I think this new all-Canadian cast is giving us an even better show.

1. Brilliant creation – The dialogue is natural and witty. There are many laugh-out-loud moments that you don’t see coming. The song lyrics further the story and the tunes range from catchy Newfoundland-party, Celtic-flavoured fun to amazing anthems and sweet ballads. Sankoff & Hein collected anecdotes at the 10^th anniversary commemoration, pulling together the most compelling pieces and weaving them into a bigger saga.
2. Enthralling story-telling – I usually don’t like it when a character turns to the audience and narrates the story; I used to think that was a lazy way to further the plot and narrators broke the spell of watching the action unfold. I changed my mind with Come From Away. When the characters speak to the audience directly, they have the knack of making us think they are good friends letting us in on their piece of the story.
3. Talented cast – Only 12 actors tell this entire story, each playing many parts. The accents are impressive: flipping from Newfoundland (sometimes exaggerated Newfoundlanders to add to the fun) to Texan to Mid-Eastern to European and back. Steffi DiDomenicantonio has perfect comedic timing as Janice, the flustered news reporter, while Lisa Horner as Beulah, the teacher, gives us a warm, motherly figure who also spreads laughter. David Silvestri plays the Mayor of Gander, as well as the mayors of other towns, surely making them proud with his portrayal. Kristen Peace gives a heartwarming performance as Bonnie of the SPCA who takes on the work of looking after all the pets and zoo animals on the planes. We feel Saccha Dennis’ pain, in the role of Hannah, the mother seeking information of her fireman son, missing in New York. Ali Momen and Jeff Madden demonstrate all the emotions of those difficult days as Kevin and Kevin, the gay couple. Cory O’Brien’s Officer Oz, the Gander policeman, shows the warmth of Newfoundlanders. Kyle Brown provides comedy as Bob, the come-from-away who can’t believe the hospitality he is shown.
4. Impressive singing – For many of the tunes, the voices are loud and rousing, other times they are poignant and comforting, and then sometimes fearful. Cailen Stadnyk as the American Airlines pilot Beverly Bass gives an excellent rendition of “Me and the Sky”, the big 11 o’clock number that traces Beverly’s life story. James Kall and Barbara Fulton as Nick and Diane will warm your heart with “Stop the World” and the whole company’s stirring performance of “Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere” keeps you humming on the way home.
5. Captivating music – The 9-person band shares the stage, even taking part in the action sometimes. Credit goes to Musical Director Bob Foster. He keeps the band playing like it’s a kitchen party, even after the last curtain call.

If you have the tiniest bit of emotion in you, it will bubble out during this musical. You cry with sadness at the horror of 9/11. Then you cry with happiness as a love story unfolds and as you see friendships forged. Then you cry with pride in your fellow Canadians, the wonderful people of Gander, Newfoundland. Never has so much emotion been packed into one show.

Come From Away continues with eight shows a week at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St. W., Toronto, Ontario. Call 1-800-461-3333 or visit www.mirvish.com  for tickets.

Note: This is a 100 minute, one-act show with no intermission.

 Photo: 2024 cast of Come From Away, with Ali Momen as Kevin J. and Jeff Madden as Kevin T., at the Legion in Gander. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

Come From Away 2024
Book, Music & Lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Directed by Christopher Ashley
Musical Direction by Bob Foster
Performed by Kyle Brown, Saccha Dennis, Steffi DiDomenicantonio, Barbara Fulton, Lisa Horner, James Kall, Jeff Madden, Ali Momen, Cory O’Brien, Kristen Peace, David Silvestri, Cailin Stadnyk, with Standbys Clint Butler, Kate Etienne, Barbara Johnston, Jwon Mapp, Sarah Nairne, Aaron Walpole.
Produced by David Mirvish
Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto
Opens September 26, 2024 – open ended run
Reviewed by Mary Alderson