Following an anniversary week of reflection and revived conspiracy theories surrounding the tragedies of the Twin Towers in New York City universally known as 9/11, this stage play examines how nearly 7000 airline passengers were diverted for their safety to a central airfield to ground them away from mayhem.
A small community airfield in Gander Newfoundland welcomed these ‘come from aways’ until airspace was returned to some kind of normality.
While based on this true story it was Michael Rubinoff from Toronto who searched for a writing team to realise his ideas. Irene Sankoff and David Hein then wrote the book after visiting Gander and interviewing the townsfolk on the tenth anniversary of 9/11 before devising a 45-minute workshop version for the Canadian Musical Theatre Project one year later in 2012.
After runs in San Diego, Washington and Toronto it opened on Broadway in March 2017 running for 1669 performances before heading to Dublin then London’s West End in 2019. Winning four Olivier Awards including Best New Musical and now expanded to 100 minutes (with no interval), This UK touring show plays Edinburgh this week only.
The cast have multiple parts and includes Natasha J Barnes as Janice & others, Daniel Crowder as Nick, Doug & others, Mark Dugdale (Previously Come From Away at the Phoenix Theatre in London and Abbey Theatre in Dublin) as Kevin T, Garth & others, and Rosie Glossop as Bonnie & others.
Director is Tony Award winning Christopher Ashley with Musical Staging by Kelly Devine. The songs express the experiences of the people involved and the confusion that arose as they departed their planes to be welcomed into the homes of the islanders, them calling home with reassurances, and being adopted by the Newfoundland islanders in the pub as incomers. One couple will see their relationship disintegrate while another pair meet and immediately bond.
At the finale of the show, they will all reunite ten years after the tragedy and while some actors are amalgamated to become one character, some are the real people from those days like captain Beverly Bass who was the first female air captain for American Airlines or Kevin Tuerff and Kevin Jung, a couple from Los Angeles or Nick and Diane who just met in Gander.
Edinburgh Playhouse until September 21, tickets HERE
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