Review: Come From Away

'Remarkable' musical to premiere at Gaiety Theatre next Friday

Before we got together, my partner was ill-educated in the world of musical theatre. This was soon rectified after a trip to London. Little did I know that by exposing him to a West End musical for his very first show - & Juliet to be precise – that I’d be creating the thespian version of Simon Cowell. He was so blown away that every single show after that, he’d have the same unimpressed review. The final curtain would close, I’d turn to him and ask, ‘what did you think?’ and he’d respond ‘well, it wasn’t & Juliet’ with an indifferent shrug. But a miracle has happened. We’ve finally watched something that has broken his non-plussed response.

I remember Alex Toohey (Come From Away producer / plays Claude, the Mayor of Gander) telling me the next Two Feathers production was going to be Come From Away and I don’t exaggerate when I say I have been looking forward to this show treading the boards of the Gaiety for the past year. And then my stupid brother decided to get married in stupid Italy over the exact same dates of the production run. Fortunately, I complain heavily about my personal life on air. Alex happened to be listening and very kindly invited me to a dress rehearsal before I left.

It took place in a tiny space in Onchan, no theatre lighting, no sound, a band of two, and a cast of 12 who were close enough that had they been any closer would have been performing the show from my lap. The rawest of raw rehearsals. No place to hide. And yet, as soon as they began, I was transported. The cast managed to turn that bare space, with no set and minimal props, into a remote town in Canada, Newfoundland.

Come From Away isn’t the most well-known show. It’s not a name many people recognise alongside the big classics, which why it’s all the more important for people to go see it. This is one of the best shows in modern theatre and a story that deserves to be seen by all. It is, ultimately, a story of kindness. And what makes it all the more emotive is that it’s based on a remarkable true story.

It’s about the 7,000 stranded flight passengers from all over the world who were grounded in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland (doubling its population overnight) in the wake of 9/11. Nerves are high and everyone is tense, but the Gander community rallies around the ‘plane people’ or ‘Come From Aways’ with warm hearts, open arms, and cod. The fish, not the game.

Though the catalyst at the heart of the story is infinitely tragic, from it, the show breathes the very best of humanity. It’s an emotional rollercoaster. While watching the rehearsal I laughed out loud for 50% of it, cried for 30%, and was entranced the remaining 20%.

The remarkableness of this true story can’t be taken lightly. It requires a cast and crew that can do the stories of these real people justice and Two Feathers did just that. They knocked it out of the (Onchan) park.

The singing is outstanding. The harmonies. OH, THE HARMONIES. They’ll be sending shivers up your spine for days after. And the acting is excellent. The sincerity in each performance is palpable, and each cast member manages a mix of levity, shock, and grief beautifully. Everyone plays at least two characters, flitting between them seamlessly.

Sue Tummon is charming as Texan Diane, her voice is lovely, and she works brilliantly with Nick Cain who plays Nick (not himself), her awkwardly British love interest. Their chemistry is as brilliant as their ability to bounce off each other comically. Their love story was one of my favourite parts of the story. Danni Bridson is heartbreaking in the role of Hannah; her voice will move you to tears in the best possible way. I loved the touching relationship she built with bad-joke-teller Beulah, played by Lisa Dancox who exudes a kindness that is both fiercely loyal and the calm in the storm with ease.

Neil Callin who plays Oz, is a man of many hats – literally in the show. He brings expressive, yet tailored humour to match every character he switches into. Bryony Grant who plays Bonnie is another who has great comedic chops and got a lot of laughs from the audience but also brought a tear to my eye in a goodbye scene. I fully believed and felt her sadness.

Kathryn Toohey who plays Janice takes the top prize for pulling off the best newfoundland accent – no mean feat. It never wavers; she also brings a quiet realness to all her characters. Aloysius Magerman-James makes a marvellous debut in Manx theatre as Kevin J. He shows great range in his acting ability, shifting from being very funny in relation to partner Kevin T, to believably portraying the crushing confusion and upset that came with being a Muslim passenger in the aftermath of 9/11.

Lauren Molyneux is excellent as Beverley – American Airlines’ first ever female captain. She captures the confident aura of the character perfectly while nailing the Texas accent. I also loved her other character’s soft porn delusions of every man she comes across and found her funnier in this role than the actor who portrayed the same character in the West End version. Charlie Williams, who plays Bob, is, as always, laugh out loud funny in each of his roles. Especially as the posh English ‘daydream’ pilot and the paranoid New Yorker.

Jack Divers as Kevin T is always reliable in his wonderful singing and his ability to bring subtle authenticity to comedic moments. His character is someone I would want to be friends with. And Alex Toohey – who is producing the show as well as playing the Mayor of Gander, Claude – is a great story teller. Opening the show brilliantly, he put out the type of performance that is so excellent it can fly slightly under the radar because he’s so believable. He doesn’t steal the spotlight, instead, his performance takes the audience into safe hands and guides them through the story while complimenting all the different characters around him.

Honourable mentions:

• The Titanic harmony key change.
• When Beulah chooses not to leave Hannah alone by the phone.
• The ugly stick.
• The ‘gay bar’ scene.
• The bible moment on the bus that helps bridge the language gap.
• The drunken flash.
• Bob ‘stealing’ BBQs.
• The moving bus effect.
• The COD scene in its entirety. I would kiss the fish.

Directing wise, I am all about that pace. And the pace in this show is superb. There’s a lot of spinning plates with cast members not just shifting characters within in moments but also the band moving quickly from song-to-song leaving only a few occasions for applause. But it never feels rushed, simply slick, which adds to the telling of the story. Comic timing is fantastic. Every character made me laugh out loud at one point. And the quieter moments are made all the more heart-breaking in their slower, gentler contrast to the bright bubbly pieces around it; the eye of a tornado centred in the upbeat whirring of everything else.

The songs are brilliant. Right from the off, you’ll be toe-tapping. A lot of the music gives off the vibe of the type of live music you’d get in an authentic Irish pub that instantly makes you feel happier. And there are a couple of ballads that will reach through your chest and grab you by the heartstrings.

When I think of how good the show was in a brightly lit, bare rehearsal room, I am envious of those of you who get to see it in its full element at the Gaiety. Come From Away shows the goodness that can come out of the darkest of places. It will make you laugh out loud; make you cry and will leave you uplifted after watching the best of what humankind can offer each other. It is a story that everyone should see. One of unity, acceptance, hope, and kindness that will make your feet tap and soul soar.

Leaving the rehearsal room, I asked my partner, ‘what did you think?’ Without hesitation he turned to me and said, ‘that was amazing.’

PHOTO CRED: Kelly Firth