Come From Away - A Musical Review
By: Mallory Johnson
I recently watched the professional recording of the hit Tony Award winning musical Come from Away. It is an amazing musical, and it is about the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack in New York City, which caused 38 planes to be diverted to the small town of Gander, Newfoundland. The musical showcases Canadian kindness during a traumatic time. Before I go any further, SPOILER ALERT. Also, trigger warnings for: death, grief, trauma, terrorism, racism, anxiety, alcohol, claustrophobia, and 9/11.
The show is a perfect mix of heartbreaking, funny, and uplifting. The found family aspect of it is beautiful. The cast are amazing and ace their roles. The Canadian jokes are very funny - I hope to see more popular musicals set in Canada in the future! I realized while I was watching the show the gravity of it being performed and filmed in New York City. The show came out on the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which is powerful. The performance is filmed beautifully, it gives you close ups when necessary and wide shots at good timing to show the sets and choreography. I loved how some actors played multiple small parts in addition to their larger roles, because it is impossible to have a cast full of 700+ people on a stage so small. I was born a few weeks before 9/11, and I cannot even imagine what it was like to be older during that time. Come From Away brilliantly gives me a peek into what people faced at the time, as the characters are based on real people. The music is catchy, emotional, and tells the story in a wonderful way. The musical is not entirely sung through, so there are some jokes and context you would miss out on if you only listened to the soundtrack. You would also miss out on the excellent props, sets, and choreography in the show. The accents in the show are hilarious - in the first song, the local Newfoundlanders sing, “You probably understand about a half of what we say.” I loved the diverse representation in the show, of races, genders, sexualities, and religions.
Overall, I LOVED the Come from Away movie. I highly recommend checking it out! It is available to watch on Apple TV+. I give it a very strong 10/10, and I believe that it has become one of my favorite musicals.