Come From Away offers moments of sheer power at the Tivoli. Image - Euan Fraser
Come From Away runs for one hour and 40 minutes without an interval – but such is the power of this brilliant, moving, joyous musical, staged by Attic Theatre at the Tivoli, that you don’t want it to end, never mind take a break.
From the true story of how the community of Gander in Newfoundland suddenly found itself giving refuge to 7,000 passengers on planes grounded in the wake of the 9/11 atrocity comes a work of art that celebrates the best of humanity at one of its darkest moments.
The soul of Come From Away is how decency, kindness, and generosity of spirit can counter even the most enormous evil.
Its genius comes from telling that story through the eyes of the innocents – both the residents of Gander and the stranded passengers - caught in the maelstrom of terror and confusion on 9/11.
And its heart comes from the compelling Celtic-tinged score, penned by Irene Saknoff and David Hein, that, by turn, offers foot-tapping bangers and heart-wrenching ballads, all delivered with passion and skill by one of Aberdeen’s foremost amateur theatre companies.
Even in the midst of heartbreak and fear there is a place for joy in Come From Away at the Tivoli. Image- Euan Fraser
The songs drive the story of how the people of Gander didn’t hesitate to open their hearts and homes to what they came to call “the plane people”, sharing their food, even literally giving them the clothes off their backs. All without wanting anything in return.
But Come From Away doesn’t just play on this uplifting side of the unstinting kindness of a small-town community. In quick brush strokes, through music and lyrics, it paints the real emotional distress and confusion of passengers discovering the horror that overtook their lives that day.
A scene where the Plane People gather to watch live news coverage evokes triggering memories in all of us who remember where we were on 9/11, what we witnessed on our TVs, the fear we felt, and how that shook our worldview to its very core.
If that doesn’t have you choking up, then the portrayal of people of different nationalities and faiths coming together to pray in a bid to find comfort in the heart of darkness will have you shedding a tear.
And I defy you not to be gulping back the sobs as a mother sits by a phone desperate for news of her firefighter son in New York.
The ensemble cast of Come From Away are uniformly excellent. Image - Euan Fraser
There is joy and laughter, too. A rousing ceilidh-esque scene where the townspeople stage a gathering so the Plane People can sing and dance with them is sublime fun – especially as the visitors become honorary Newfoundlanders.
And in the mix, some couples are torn apart by the experience, while others find love. But above all, everyone thrown together that fateful day comes away with a shared experience that changes them forever and, mostly, for the better. A point driven home with a coda scene, depicting a reunion of townsfolk and Plane People 10 years on.
It is little wonder, then, that Come From Away has won Olivier and Tony awards in the West End and on Broadway.
And this production in the hands of Attic Theatre deserves an award in its own right. The staging is simple but effective, the story telling is compelling and the singing and choreography is stunning. The band are note perfect.
It is hard to believe that this is an amateur company, given the level of sheer talent and professionalism on that stage.
Come From Away's score is by turns rousing and moving. Image - Euan Fraser.
The ensemble cast, all switching effortlessly between the various characters they are playing, are uniformly excellent, so much so, that you can’t single any one out for praise.
So here they all are: Susan Hughes; Shirley Torrie; Sally Stewart; Joanne Peacock; Hannah Smith; Amanda Massie; Steve Hamer; Ryan Peacock; Callum Bell; Ruairi Mackinnon; Stuart Mearns; Darren Jalland and Mohammad Ezzadpanah.
And let’s not forget the deft direction of Scott Jamieson and magnificent musical direction of Ben Torrie.
In short, Come From Away, in the hands of Attic Theatre, is a stunning rollercoaster of emotions and one of the best theatrical experiences you could possibly hope for. Go and see it.
Come From Away runs at the Tivoli Theatre until Saturday, June 27. For information and tickets, visit the Tivoli Theatre website.