Well, it has been some time. Through a series of escalating events, I have been quite busy and unable to attend this little piece of digital space. First, I found myself seeing to the care of guest for a month longer than expected. Then, just as that was finishing, Nano happened and I was neck deep in writing that had fallen to the wayside. And, of course, Nano usually starts a pretty long dry spell as we spill into the holidays.

So that is pretty it. Unfortunately nothing exciting like international intrigue or combating the forces of evil or unearthing long-forgotten secrets.

There was a brief respite in there, however. And that is what I would like to close this year off discussing. You see, my uncle recently moved to the east coast. This was an unexpected development, especially for my mother who had tickets to attend Come From Away with them at the Royal Alexandria in Toronto. My uncle was clearly not flying over half the country to attend the play now so my mom had some spare tickets. She graciously offered me one.

Course, this was not just a ticket. It was a whole day affair. We went through some travel company which meant we were riding a bus into Toronto and we got dinner out of the whole event. It also meant that I was squeezed into a herd of individuals with a median age of 68. So I was the sole, young and sprightly member surrounded by a sea of experience.

Which is a convoluted way of saying that the theatre is mostly for old people. Course, that’s been the case for a long time now. It’s not like theatre tickets are cheap and when you’re going to see a popular show like Come From Away, you’re not going to find ticket offices trying to coerce people into unsold seats. As such, my mom and I were hardly in prime seating territory though we had an orchestra row which at least meant that we wouldn’t be distracted by behind the curtain action.

Also, our tour guide was absolutely in love with Come From Away. While certainly part of her exuberance would have been played up for her patrons in the hopes of selling more tickets (either to another showing or whatever other tour they would offer for the next show), she seemed genuinely happy to be seeing the play again. This is the point wherein I share my hipster concern. It is hard for me to get excited for a show that has seen universal acclaim. Primarily, this is an indication that the producers have shot for general appeal with hardly anything new, interesting or risky in the material. Wide appeal is typically indicative of safe work. Which is usually indicative of derivative work. Nothing is safer than that which has already been proven to work.

This likely is why I get confused for hating everything.

Well, guess what critics, I liked Come From Away! Nay, I really enjoyed Come From Away! I may have even adored it!

There’s really no simple place to start with discussing the play. It’s a straightforward, well-done musical. Is it an instant classic? I’m hardly one to make that distinction. But I can’t remember having this much fun at a musical since seeing The Evil Dead and being one row from the splatter zone.

I suppose I can discuss the story. Come From Away is the sort of heartstring tugging schmutz you’d expect it to be. It’s a story about the small town of Gander being overrun with foreigners when America suddenly closed their airspace during the 9/11 attacks. Given that the creators clearly had their sights set on Broadway, the play really focuses on this American connection, to the surprise of no one. Course, there’s a fair number of Newfoundlander characters as well though the entirety of the emotional journey rests on the American passengers.

I would say the most interesting part of Come From Away’s narratives arise when there’s mention of the other travellers. It’s easy to focus on the people whose country was attacked by the terrorists but the ripples of the event stretched much farther than that. There a moments when the people of Gander need to accommodate those that don’t speak English and there’s the added fear and confusion of, say, African passengers being stranded in the middle of world they don’t even know. And of course, Gander is hardly equipped to handle this level of international pressure.

This is where, of course, the entirety of Come From Away’s strengths lie. It’s the little stories and struggles that people face which has been turned into compelling pieces. No one would expect a shortage of sandwiches and blankets to really resonate with audiences but the writers have cleverly focused the story through the lens of about a dozen characters on both sides of the situation. There’s no conflict other than the uncertainty and anxiety of dealing with the unknown: whether that’s what do you do with almost seven thousand visitors in a town of the same number or how do you cope with the terrifying realization that a terrorist attack has been committed on your home and you were so close to it yourself that people aren’t even sure if you are a potential threat or not.

The way the writers weave their narrative of emotion is through combining the real life stories into several cornerstone individuals. So, there’s the first American female pilot, the Gander veterinarian, the town’s mayor, an American environmental business consultant, mother of a New York fireman and many more. Here, the different real life stories have been condensed so that these twelve individuals experience the whole gamut of human emotion as they struggle to either comfort or cope with the loss and tragedy around them. Structurally, Come From Away is a one act play. From what I can gather, this is a novelty for musical theatre. However, it does lend itself to a fast and frantic atmosphere, leaving the whole production as just a brief moment in everyone’s lives – including the audiences.

Course, this does leave very little time for the play to cover all the action. The pacing feels like it was, at one point, a two act play with how thoroughly it introduces the characters and setting. About three quarters of the way through, however, things are rushed to an ending. While this is a great way to demonstrate the whirlwind of feeling and action, it also leaves the motivations and emotional development of several its character along with their arcs undeveloped. A few characters relay decisions that are not fully understandable in quick succession while the emotional climax of the piece reaches its crescendo… then quickly wraps up with a time skip final song that tries desperately to tie all the action into a messy little bow.

It’s inelegant and the only blemish I have for the play. Technically, however, it’s absolutely a marvel. The stage is mostly several wood pillars, twelve chairs and a central rotating platform. From that, however, the cast is able to seamlessly transport you across airplane cabins, holds, Gander’s Tim Horton’s, a scenic lookout and various shelters and buses along the way. There’s very little in props but between the motion allowed by the rotating platform and the physicality of the actors, the audience receives a terrific sense of motion and pace that makes them feel like they’re flying through the three tumultuous days.

And the actors’ performances were top notch too. There’s very few scenes where all twelve of them aren’t crowded on the stage, flipping between the four or five characters each one of them is tasked with bringing to life. But regardless of the minimal costume changes, you’re never left wondering who is playing what. There’s excellent application of accents but it flows so effortlessly that it’s hard to pin down which technique adds the most clarity to their personas. But it’s very impressive to observe.

The music is catchy too. The band takes the wings of the stage, showing up to play as local bandmembers whenever it is cute. The songs are uplifting and joyful though I would have liked to see a bit more Newfoundland flair to them. My biggest complaint is, however, my highest compliment. Watching Come From Away only makes me wish there were more Come From Away.

There have been a lot of stories about the unforeseen impact of the twin towers terrorist attacks. Many of them even search for the positive and human reaffirming lens that lets people heal from the tragedy. Come From Away hits these notes but doing so without coming across as preying upon a simple and straightforward topic for easy emotional capital. More than anything, it felt like the creators really wanted to honour this small town that opened its doors and its heart for these strangers that came from everywhere. Having travelled to Newfoundland myself over the summer, the hardy folk that call it home truly are something else. It really is a delight to see and whether you want to watch some clever technical prowess or simply be lost in the music and people, you’ll discover something to love from the production.

And Come From Away really goes to show you can find something truly special in even the most unlikely of places.