'Come From Away' Review: A Timely and Heartwarming Musical
“Suddenly, there’s nothing in between me and the sky.”
Courtesy of AppleTV+.
Releasing on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the tragic losses during 9/11, AppleTV+ debuts ‘Come From Away’, the professional recording of the Broadway musical of the same name. The show is based on the true story of 38 planes that were forced into an emergency landing in the town of Gander, Newfoundland, Canada, as the events of 9/11 were unfolding in real time. Over 7,000 people were now stranded, which nearly doubled the town’s current population of 10,000. The local community embraced the opportunity to help the stranded passengers, and worked together to convert community centers, churches, and any space that was available into makeshift shelters. The community held dances, rituals, and fully welcomed everyone during their time of mourning, confusion, and uncertainty. The 38 planes were grounded for a total of five days before they were finally approved to fly to their original destinations and Come From Away is the musical culmination of the tales told by many of the passengers during that week.
Courtesy of AppleTV+.
The staging of the musical is quite bare in its initial impression: the stage is not filled with lavish set decorations as normally expected on Broadway, but rather decorated with just a few tables, chairs, signs, and props. 12 actors stand on stage, playing multiple roles each as they alternate between plane passengers and Gander community members. The cast remains onstage the entire time and only transition into character through subtle quick-changes and noticeable transitions in their physicality as they embody someone new. While at times, the reliable easy-going composition of the set can lead to aesthetic boredom, the musical numbers are filled with so many words and so much emotion that it keeps the viewer engaged on what is important: the people and their stories.
The music mostly maintains an upbeat tempo which makes the songs go by quickly. Its fast pace is sometimes difficult to follow, but the actors’ performances help to center the truth of the words that they’re singing. Even if the show feels a bit trapped in the traditional Broadway musical box, there is no denying that the show is engaging and as timely as ever. The show is about a little bit of everything: hope, loss, love, grief, community, loneliness, and finding beauty in everything. Not only as we circle around the anniversary of the event, but most especially considering after what the world has endured over these past 18 months, COME FROM AWAY can find audiences, safely at home, and remind them the light is still there to be found.