Launch of Come From Away at The Comedy Theatre

Written by David Hagger on 01 September 2022.

Come From Away is now showing at The Comedy Theatre in Melbourne, for a final season, and we were invited along on launch night. 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. It's a compelling story that resonates just as powerfully years later.

This is a story of humanity under pressure; how people came together and how they responded in an unprecedented crisis. We all know that 9/11 changed the world forever. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. The question today for me as I watched the musical was, "how would I respond in such a crisis?"

Awarded the Tony® for Best Direction of a Musical, Christopher Ashley’s production guides audiences through a colourful and spirited cast of characters, brought to life by Olivier Award winning writing team Irene Sankoff and David Hein. If you're like me, you fall in love with these characters in the opening minutes of the musical.

We began our evening at Bomba Bar Rooftop where we were joined by Janice (reporter) and Bonnie (animal shelter worker), a couple of "real life people" from Gander in Newfoundland. Canapes and sparkling wines were flowing as we prepared to walk the short distance from Bomba to The Comedy Theatre.

Come from Away is an entertaining musical, but also provokes thought and pulls on the heart strings. Performances were spectacular and I felt the actors were deeply invested in a show stamped with authenticity.

Posted in Arts