I suspect there will be a few bloggers and blog visitors out there who have already seen the musical "Come From Away". Shirley and I saw it last evening at "The Lyceum" theatre in the centre of Sheffield. It was conceived ten years after the dreadful day that we remember as 9/11 and it was first performed in 2013.
You cannot really say that the show is about 9/11 but what happened that day provides a sinister backdrop to the story. It is set - not in New York City but in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada.
At that time, back in September 2001, all flights in and out of New York were shut down. Around thirty eight flights were ordered to land at the remote airport in Gander and there they stayed for almost a week.
Gander is a small town with a population of around 9,000 and suddenly they had 6,500 visitors. How would they cope? In the event, the town pulled together, opening their public facilities and homes to the newcomers whose travel plans had been disrupted.
In spite of some initial puzzlement about the quality of sound and my distinct impression that the residents of Gander spoke with Irish accents, I began to warm to the show.
The actors played the parts of both the Newfoundlanders and the air passengers, switching seamlessly. The stage had a simple set in which chairs were vital props for conveying air travel and for example a bar room in Gander.
There was much joy and humour in the production as well as some riotous singing and dancing. One of the stranded passengers was concerned throughout about her son who was a fire fighter in New York City. There was to be no happy ending for her and you may recall that 343 fire fighters died as a result of the 9/11 attacks on The World Trade Center.
In the end, "Come From Away" is a celebration of what it means to be a human being - helping each other, feeling other people's pain, rising to challenges, moving on. What happened in Gander was in direct contrast to the wickedness that happened in New York and at The Pentagon and Stonycreek PA that sunny September morning.
The show received a standing ovation last night in Sheffield. I would like to think that a portion of the applause was for the 2,996 who lost their lives.
I wasn't aware of the play but knew there were a couple movies about Gander. One was called "Diverted" and I think another one was something like "You Are Here."
ReplyDeleteIf "Come From Away" arrives in Des Moines you should seriously consider watching it. It would be fine for your girls too.
DeleteI've never seen the musical but I've heard it's fabulous. Newfoundlanders can have heavy accents and many of their forefathers, and foremothers, came from Ireland.
ReplyDeleteOn 9/11 my ex husband was flying to Vancouver. He was a pilot but on that day, he was heading out there for training. He called me when he landed in Vancouver and saw the news; I told him to rent a car, right now, and drive home. He did thankfully. It was a horrible time for so many people.
I have heard Newfoundland accents but in this show it was as if they did not bother to echo the voices of the host community. Hard to think that 9/11 happened almost 23 years ago.
DeleteWe saw it in New York and loved it; such joy from a dreadful day.
ReplyDeleteTo draw joy from such an awful time was very clever.
DeleteI've never even heard of Come from Away, much less seen it. It sounds good though and I'm glad you and Shirley enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteIf it arrives in Adelaide you should empty your piggy bank Elsie.
DeleteVery timely, and particularly poignant with the background of the murder attempt on Trump in mind. I couldn't agree more with you on your next to last paragraph, about what it means to be a human being.
ReplyDeleteWe are better than that - the evil of the suicide bombers. What on earth did they think they were doing?
DeleteSad but also uplifting by the sound of it.
ReplyDeleteThe kamikaze plane crashes seem to have happened in some distant background.
DeleteWe saw " Come From Away" some years ago in London...it was one of the best shows I have ever seen. Glad that you enjoyed it too!
ReplyDeleteUplifting. It is amazing what a troupe of humans can achieve on the stage.
DeleteI should see it.
ReplyDeleteYes. Stick it on your bucket list dude!
DeleteNo matter the focus of the media, I always think there is more good in the world than evil. We hear so much of the awful but there is much kindness in people.
ReplyDelete"Come FRom AWay" kind of says that loud and clear.
DeleteI keep thinking I'll get around to this show but I never have. I suspect I have a subconscious mental block about going. I was in New York on 9/11 and it's not an occasion I want to revisit, even its rare uplifting aspects.
ReplyDeleteI went back in your blog and read posts about that surreal and terrible day.
DeleteSounds good. I think 9/11, Elvis dying, Lady Diana dying and Kennedy getting shot will be days that are forever in most people's memories. Not forgetting United winning the Treble of course in 1999.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise that Scunthorpe United won the treble that year.
DeleteThere is only one United.😀
DeleteIt’s my favourite musical, because it is all heart
ReplyDeleteI’m seeing it i a couple of weeks for the third time, and I know I will cry buckets xx
Why not take a couple of buckets along - like the ones kiddies use on Rhyl beach.
DeleteThe Newfoundland accent is very like the Irish accent, especially in areas where it is most pronounced. As Pixie said, it's due to the Irish migration. The 9/11 story really is the stuff of feel-good plays and movies, isn't it? I was so proud of our fellow Atlantic province and happy that an enduring piece of art will spread that message of humanity around the world. It helps counteract the bad stuff. Thanks for giving it a boost by writing about the play.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. I have never seen this musical but I have heard of it. This brought back memories of 9-11 for me, and I do remember those planes stuck in Newfoundland and the amazing kindness shown by the people in Gander. I have always had an affinity with Canada as my father's side of the family emigrated to the United States from Canada in the 1840s. If I could turn the clock back I would come to them as a ghost and convince them to stay in Canada. But then again, my father wouldn't have met my mother.
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