We had the privilege of attending the opening night of Come From Away at the Lyceum last week. This production comes directly from the West End, and the musical itself premiered on Broadway in March 2017. This performance played to a large, excited audience, filled with laughter and applause throughout the evening.
Come From Away is a heartwarming musical that tells the true story of the 7,000 stranded airline passengers who were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland and the people living there that welcomed and comforted them after the 9/11 attacks. The narrative unfolds with humour, compassion, and the cast portrays multiple roles to highlight the diverse experiences and stories of both the townsfolk and the passengers. The cast were absolutely exceptional. Their diversity was a standout feature, ensuring that every story was well represented. They truly embodied the town of Gander and how they came together to help the stranded passengers from all walks of life. The tension and anxiety was palpable, as they portrayed those who were unaware of the terrorist attacks until they were able to depart the grounded planes.
The musical numbers were fantastic, particularly the opening number ‘Welcome To The Rock’ which beckons the audience to listen to this remarkable story, whilst also including all the people who have arrived out of nowhere to their home (also known as ‘come from aways’). Another touching moment, was the beautifully arranged ‘Prayer’, which encompassed the prayers and hymns of ‘Make Me A Channel of Your Peace’, ‘O Seh Shalom’ (a Hebrew prayer), and ‘Asatoma Sadgamaya’ (a Shanti mantra). All three prayers were harmonized beautifully by the cast, and really brought the theme of the musical together.
For those audience members that remember the September 11th attacks firsthand, it is both a harrowing and inspiring experience to hear the stories of the people of Gander in this beautiful musical. Despite speaking different languages—Arabic, Hebrew, Hindi, and English—their prayers share a common theme. Though their prayer methods differ, they are united by their faith and the comfort it brings to themselves and others. This scene echoes one of the musical's central themes: "Because we come from everywhere, we all come from away." The production beautifully showcased the power of community and human kindness in times of crisis.
The musical must be experienced to truly understand just how powerful it is, and how much the stories stick with you the next day. Every single cast member was phenomenal, and every on-stage musician brought the audience to their feet during bows with their infectious energy. We loved every moment of this show, and encourage Sheffield to ‘come from away’ and experience the story themselves from now until thisSaturday 20th July in Lyceum!
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