Come From Away at the Phoenix Theatre | Review

[Come From Away] shares the incredible real-life story of the 7,000 air passengers from all over the world who were grounded in Canada during the wake of 9/11, and the small Newfoundland community that invited these ‘come from aways’ into their lives.

As uneasiness turned into trust and music soared into the night, gratitude grew into friendships and their stories became a celebration of hope, humanity and unity.

Updated Review September 2021

Watching this in 2021, post-pandemic, on the eve of the of the 20th-anniversary event now known simply as ‘nine eleven’ it has an extra level of poignancy.  Two years in from my initial review and I am happy to report this show is just as heartfelt, emotional, funny, and touching as ever.  The things that stand out to me on the second viewing are the human moments, the feeling of claustrophobia for the people stuck on the plane, the small moments of hope and dread as the news of the day filters through, the fear and pain of losing loved ones, the small moments of joy in extraordinary circumstances.  It remains my number one show that I recommend anyone heading into London and that’s because, for me, it ticks all the boxes.

London audiences can be a hard one to break, any new musical hitting the Westend is in for a difficult time winning over the crowds, especially one based on a true story few people have heard of on this side of the Atlantic.  After seeing this show this week Come From Away might be one of the few that makes it into London’s heart.  This musical has everything it takes to succeed, an interesting story, bundles of energy, and a whole lot of heart.

This musical covers a week starting on September 11th, 2001 when international flights bound for the US were grounded in Newfoundland, doubling the size of the population overnight.  With thousands of people needing somewhere to stay, feeding, and support the community pulled together and created a home away from home for every stranger amidst a disaster with no funding in a way that the organizers of Fyre Festival could only dream of!

Whilst there aren’t any songs you will go away humming the writing in this show is excellent and the pacing is some of the best to be seen in the Westend, the energy doesn’t dip even for a beat.  Cast members play multiple parts but the direction is smooth and avoids any confusion.  Whilst the set is relatively simple for a Westend musical it works perfectly for this show which focuses on the story above all and the result is surprisingly intimate.

This show is laugh out loud funny, emotional, and a showcase of the strength of humanity.  It’s a heartwarming show that is sure to become a 2019 favorite.  Tickets for Come From Away start from under £18 from the  London Box Office Website.

Complimentary tickets were given in exchange for the review