I know. I know. A musical about 9/11 is a hard sell. But hear me out. Because I promise you that Come From Away will be one of the most restorative, life-affirming experiences you will have this side of the pandemic. In fact, the only possible reason you could have for not liking this was if you didn’t have a soul, or if you were green and lived in a trash can, or if you were an actual suicide bomber.
We open in Gander, Newfoundland, with our ensemble launching into a number that is remarkably reminiscent of “Pinball Wizard” by The Who. That first song, “Welcome to the Rock,” quickly introduces us to where and when we are, showcases the inconceivably lovely townsfolk, and effectively sets us up for quite the emotional roller-coaster. Its masterful mix of styles and driving beat providing the perfect prologue for everything that’s about to happen. Because over the course of 105 minutes, those 12 people that we meet on stage will take us on a breathless journey of love and loss and human generosity.
Ze Plane! Ze Plane!
Based on the book The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland, and adapted by the husband-and-wife team of David Hein and Irene Sankoff, Come From Away is built around a series of snappy vignettes that describe the surreal true story of a time when thousands of people unexpectedly descended upon a small town in Canada.
An hour after the first hijacked plane collided with the North Tower of the World Trade Center, the United States ordered the complete closure of its airspace. Domestic flights were ordered to land at the nearest airport. While the vast majority of international flights – no longer having enough fuel to return to their points of origin – ended up in Canada. 38 of these planes found themselves in Newfoundland, when Gander took in 7,000 passengers as the Twin Towers lay smoldering in New York.
What follows is absolutely beautiful.
7000 scared and displaced strangers were suddenly thrust upon a town with a population of just 9300. It had six traffic lights and only 500 hotel rooms. So what did the Ganderites do with these “come from aways?” They took them in. They sheltered them in their homes, fed and clothed them, entertained and comforted them. Without thinking, these selfless individuals put their lives on hold to help others in distress.
The story of what happened there is something truly remarkable. At a time when the world was angry, confused, and reeling at yet another senseless act of mass murder, the townsfolk of Gander reminded us that kindness and compassion weren’t choices but compulsions. They showed the world what being good was all about.
No Small Parts
All of this is meticulously translated into one of the most ingenious productions I’ve ever seen. There are dozens of individual stories here, each one told through just 12 actors and a minimalist set. A swiveling centerpiece becomes a stand-in for busses and planes, pubs and town halls, with the mere rotation of chairs serving to transport us from location to location. It is genius.
And then there are the performances. All of them so great that it would be a crime to single anyone out. There are no small parts in Come From Away. The 12 actors on stage move as one unit, shuffling seamlessly from character to character, transforming themselves into everyone from everywhere, without ever missing a beat. You know exactly who everyone is at every moment.
Bringing Home Broadway
Back in 2017, I was lucky enough to score a single ticket to watch Hamilton in San Francisco. I was in the stalls, somewhat near the centre, just slightly off to the left of the stage. Not far from what is widely considered to be prime seating. Needless to say my Hamilton experience was amazing. Transcendental even. Until then, I never quite understood what people meant when they referred to the atmosphere within a room as being “electric.”
Having had that experience, I was initially apprehensive at the idea of a live taping. While I loved the fact that it would make the musical more accessible than ever before, I was also concerned that something would be lost in translation. I was wrong. Watching Hamilton on Disney Plus allowed me to experience it in a way that I can only describe as “complete.” Now this was the best seat in the house. I could see everything. Not just the musical as a full and finished work of art, but also each and every one of its moving parts. So much so that it felt like I was watching it again for the very first time.
While I realize that watching Come from Away, in a darkened room, with hundreds of other people, is a uniquely emotional experience, I am also very much aware of how cinema can transform it. There is an intimacy that the camera brings, taking you inside and out, over and under, and up close in a way that just isn’t possible in the theatre. You can suddenly see every little detail. You notice every wink, and twitch, and curl of the lip. You can appreciate these incredible performances in a whole new way.
Christopher Ashley’s direction here is superb. He exploits everything the camera can do, but he does so in a way that preserves the unique qualities and feelings that are associated with theatre. It is quite the balancing act, and one that successfully channels the spirit of the musical, without ever sacrificing its artistic complexity.
Yes, I missed being able to experience something this great with a group of people, all of whom whooping, and weeping, and hollering, howling as a collective. But I am so grateful for having been able to watch it at all.
Leading Us Out of the Night
It’s been two long decades since that tragedy in New York. 9/11 changed everything. So much so that the rest of the world is still suffering the consequences of America’s rude brush with insecurity. But on this 20th anniversary, as we look back and consider the global impact what happened on that fateful day, Come From Away serves as something of an alternative point of view. One that is rooted in hope. One that reinforces the notion that a simple gesture of kindness is all that’s needed to change a life.
Even after all these years, Come From Away remains as potent and as relevant as ever. And as we sit here, locked down in our homes, trying to survive yet another global crisis, maybe what we need to do is look to the people of Gander, to what they did in those five days in September, and try our best to be a little more like them.
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