Come From Away premiered to a packed Comedy Theatre on opening night. The little Canadian musical with a big heart has crossed multiple continents since its debut in 2013, and now it's back for a second run in Melbourne.
The premise of Come From Away centres around human kindness in the wake of disaster. The general synopsis is based on the true events of September 11, 2001, when 38 planes, carrying approximately 7,000 “plane people” were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland and the local population sprang into action to accommodate their guests. It’s a slightly unusual footing for a musical – about ordinary people living in a distant, rocky outpost in the easternmost province of Canada on the day the rest of the world came to town.
Perhaps the show’s greatest strength is its cast of ordinary people, as opposed to the shiny-bodied show people we are accustomed to seeing on stage. In fact, Come From Away showcases the kind of genuine diversity you might encounter on a busy city bus. People from all walks, talks and ages; each with a unique story to tell.
There’s no shortage of talent in this production. If I were seeing it somewhere in North American in the immediate years proceeding 9/11, I’m sure I would have been blown away. The events of September 11, 2001 changed our world, undeniably. However, our incessant obsession with rehashing this catastrophic event – and other American phenomena – needs to be questioned in contemporary Australia in 2022. Have there not been other tragedies and corresponding acts of kindness we can dwell upon? Are there not stories in the Southern Hemisphere that relate, even just by a fraction, more closely to the lives and challenges and experiences of ordinary Australians?
This is less a criticism of the production itself, and more of the producers adamant on remounting this work down under. The choreography, set and costumes haven't evolved much beyond the production’s premiere at Sheridan College in Oakville, Ontario. The musicians, concealed on stage, do a good job of tying the whole piece together, as there’s hardly a moment of pause in the show’s 100 minutes.
Emma Powell as Beulah is a delight, and forms the spine of the show alongside Zoe Gertz who shines as pilot Beverley. Sarah Nairne also dominates with her vocal abilities, playing Hannah, who moved the crowd in her quest to find her firefighter son at ground zero.
The deepest and most compelling storyline, however, is that of Egyptian Muslim chef played by Joseph Naim. The fear and islamophobia that instantly surrounds Joseph’s character is unnerving and eerily familiar. Come From Away starts to pick apart the endemic xenophobia which spread like wild fire in the wake of 9/11, but unfortunately it only scrapes the surface of this vital theme before returning to the petty squabbling of a couple who want different things, and the budding romance of two boomers contemplating a new adventure together.
To add to that, there are a handful of religious references throughout that are (for want of a better word) cringey. When an African couple doesn’t understand the local Newfoundland accent, the locals use a bible to translate a verse. At one point, Douglas Hansell (playing Kevin) breaks out singing the hymn, “make me a channel of your peace / where there is hatred let me bring your love.”
In spite of this, the audience are swept to their feet for a full standing ovation during the curtain call, proving feel-good theatre about humans behaving decently, when the world continues to wreak havoc all around us, is still relevant here in Melbourne.
However, this time around, its return to Melbourne in 2022 feels a little dated.