James Karas
Come From Away is a hit.
Moving quickly away
from that hackneyed phrase, Come From
Away is a musical now playing at the Royal Alexandra Theatre and it has all
the ingredients that make a successful musical and some additional elements
that make it a joy to watch.
Come From Away is an illustration
and celebration of spontaneous humanity and decency on a large scale. It does
not shy away from our baser instincts of fear and racism but it shows humankind
at its best. And it is based on facts.
Some background. All
of us recall that on September 11, 2001 terrorists flew two airplanes into the
twin towers of New York’s World Trade Centre. All airplanes headed for the
United States were ordered to land outside the U.S. Thirty eight planes landed
in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland bringing about 7000 people and in
effect doubling the local population. How do you provide accommodation, food
and comfort for that many people who drop in from the sky, completely
unexpectedly?
Come
From Away Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy
Irene Sankoff and
David Hein interviewed some of the visitors and hosts and combined their
stories with marvelous music and songs to create this robust and supremely
entertaining musical, nay, celebration.
A cast of twelve
actors/singers represent dozen of characters in quick succession as we start
with a glimpse of life in the town before the visitors arrive – “Welcome to the
Rock.” Then there is general mobilization (“38 Planes,” “Blankets and Bedding”)
as the townspeople get into action to provide for the strangers at their door. There
is a variety of them from the airplane crews to business people to Muslims, an
Afro-American, and a gay couple. The town people are humane, charming and
frequently funny.
The whole cast is on
stage much of the time in an ensemble performance where there is almost no solo
number. The music performed by an onstage band is vigorous, often foot-stomping
and delightful.
There are numerous
episodes culled from the four days’ stay that range from the humorous, to the
touching, to the tragic. All the actors deserve unstinting praise but I will
mention only a few. Joel Hatch plays, among other parts, Claude the Mayor who
is decent and funny. Petrina Bromley plays Bonnie of the SPCA who must take
care of the animals including the birth of a monkey and the manners of a
feces-tossing member of that species. And there is Janice (Kendra Kassebaum)
the TV reporter on her first day on the job!
Rodney Hicks plays a
black American who expects to be robbed any minute as he accepts hospitality
with some trepidation. Oz, the town constable, (Geno Carr) gives speeders a
warnings with an expletive. The gay couple finds a tolerant society but the
Muslim is not treated as kindly in the atmosphere of fear.
Come
From Away Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy
I give the names of the superb cast with the main role
as listed in the program: Petrina
Bromley as Bonnie, Geno Carr as Oz, Jenn Colella as Beverley, Joel Hatch as
Claude, Rodney Hicks as Bob, Kendra Kassebaum as Janice, Chad Kimball as Garth,
Lee MacDougall as Doug, Caesar Samayda as Ali, Q. Smith as Hannah, Astrid van
Wieren as Beulah and Sharon Wheatley as Diane.
Director Christopher
Ashley maintains a brisk pace with the merry-go-round of characters and
episodes. The revolving set by Beowulf Boritt helps on a single paneled set
that gives the impression of small town once you know that you are in a small
town in a corner of Canada. It works.
Come From Away is a hit, a
celebration, a triumph.
_____
Come
From Away by Irene
Sankoff and David Hein (Book, Music and Lyrics) opened on November 23, 2016 and
will run until January 8, 2017 at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St. W.
Toronto, Ont. www.mirvish.com
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