Come From Away

Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 1st June 2024

***** Five Stars “full of heart and joy and a rock-solid success”

Come From Away, is all about ensemble and community and standing together. Something the Hippodrome audience did as one and with enthusiasm at the end of the 1 hour 40-minute production. And seldom has it seemed more richly deserved. The delight is not necessarily in anyone’s solo performance but more in the cast’s generosity to one another, to the story and to us as a welcoming visiting crowd.

The story swirls around Gander in Newfoundland and its oversized airport, a necessary haven in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 and the closure of American airspace. The small outpost of a town saw its population doubled with the arrival of 38 planes and around 7,000 passengers. But the international airport, the town of Gander and its welcoming folk were ready for them.

The simple set and set of wooden chairs and tables became the town, the planes and at times the evocative landscape. All smartly done and weaved around by some foot stomping choreography. The cast were in time and on beat to every line and the music is a wonderful wash of clean Canadian air. 100 minutes fly by.

There is a hefty lot of teamwork that goes into delivering Come from Away, with most actors taking up at least two roles, with a sense of busyness on stage throughout. Each of the passengers or crew have their moment in the spotlight and grab the opportunity enthusiastically with both hands. But it is that heavy reliance on each other that is the real bright light on this show.

It is a different style of musical and creates a first-class service any top airline would be proud to come close to.

Experience it while you can it runs at the Hippodrome until June the 1st.

David Robinson