I love a musical. I’m very handy on a pub quiz if a round on musicals comes up. But Come From Away was entirely new to me: I didn’t listen to the soundtrack ahead of time and I knew very little about the production. I think going in to it blind helped me be totally swept up in this show’s charm. This is a beautiful show, practically glowing with joy and the palpable sense of camaraderie between the cast. I loved it.
It’s also worth noting that I’m someone who doesn’t remember 9/11, so I’m sure that this show would impact those who do in a way that I can’t necessarily appreciate. But the production seemed to handle its subject matter with real sensitivity.
The cast of this production were excellent. They were all equally watchable and swapped character seamlessly with the addition or removal of hats and jackets with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it precision. The choreography of this piece was wonderful, and managed to make group-movement a far cry from the GCSE drama skits that have flooded social media of late.
The production had the same spark I saw when I first watched Groundhog Day had, and the comparison goes beyond just the shared focus on a small close-knit community. Come From Away is genuine, funny, and the sense of cohesion and community within the cast radiates from the stage.
The staging within on the Mayflower Stage was also wonderful – it is a large stage to fill and this production managed to achieve a real sense of cosiness. By keeping the stage design simple, they made changes in lighting all the more impactful when beautiful moments of sunlight streamed from either side of the stage.
The mood in the audience was also joyous. At the first opportunity to clap, the audience cheered as if this were a seasoned classic, and not a new show fresh from the West End. The decision to stand for the final ovation was made instantly by everyone, without thought, it was simply the natural thing to do given the energy in the room. I even withstood my biggest usual Theatre Ick and clapped in time with the rest of the Mayflower when the fabulous musicians got their moment in the spotlight at bows.
Come From Away is superbly charming and perfect for anyone looking to spend an evening being reminded of the good in the world.
Verity Babbs is the host of Voice FM's 'Arts & Culture Show' on Wednesdays at 2PM
www.veritybabbs.com
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