This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
STORY
Come From Away West End
Theatre
Phoenix Theatre
Duration
100 minutes
Age Restrictions
10+ years
“Welcome to the Rock,” sing the residents of Gander, Newfoundland – a tiny town on an island off the north-eastern coast of Canada. It’s home to some 10,000 people and one rundown, oversized airport that once served as a stopover point for transatlantic flights to refuel. That’s why, one autumn morning in 2001, Gander’s population briefly doubled as its residents rushed to the rescue in the middle of a major international incident.
Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s buoyant musical retells the true story of the town that opened its doors – and its hearts – to the thousands of flyers stranded mid-flight on September 11th2001. When American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 tore into the World Trade Centre that morning, 38 planes and their 7000-odd passengers were grounded in Gander. Under the orchestration of mayor Claude Elliot, local residents were left to organise an impromptu aid effort – setting up shelters, donating supplies and cooking up a catering line.
Read MoreIt’s a heart-soaring story, but in Sankoff and Hein’s hands, a considered one too – a reminder not only of the humanity that counterbalances tragedy, but also of the way the world changed that day. Oblivious passengers stuck on their planes initially pass round the miniatures and party, but as the horror of history dawns on them fully, things change. Tensions erupt as one Eygptian passenger seeks a place for morning prayers, a mark of how speedily suspicion set in, and pilots and passengers alike desperately try to reach their families back home. In the midst of events, two strangers sat next to each other strike up an improbable friendship – maybe something more.
Charged with the Irish-Canadian twang of Gander’s own musical style, there’s a surging, spirited quality to Sankoff and Hein’s score. Their songs are earthy and hearty, designed for a community of voices and the power of the collective shines through in Christopher Ashley’s simplistic staging. A big hit on Broadway, nominated for seven Tony awards, it received an even warmer reception in the West End, with its all-British company winning four Oliviers. It’s a small show, in no sense a grand spectacular, but Come From Away is one of the most heartfelt and wholesome musicals of the century so far.
Come From Away London – Reviews
CREATIVE
Cast and Creative
Cast
Jenna Boyd – Beulah
Nathanael Campbell – Bob
Clive Carter – Claude
Mary Doherty – Bonnie
Robert Hands – Nick/Doug
Helen Dobson – Diane
Jonathan Andrew Hume – Kevin J
Harry Morrison – Oz
Emma Salvo – Janice
David Shannon – Kevin T
Cat Simmons – Hannah
Rachel Tucker – Beverley/Annette
Mark Dugdale – Standby
Bob Harms – Standby
Chiara Baronti – Standby
Kirsty Malpass – Standby
Tania Mathurin – Standby
Alexander McMorran – Standby
Brandon Lee Sears – Standby
Jennifer Tierney – Standby
Creative
Irene Sankhoff – Book, Music, Lyrics
David Hein – Book, Music, Lyrics
Christopher Ashley – Director
Kelly Devine – Musical Staging
Ian Eisendrath – Musical Supervisor
Beowulf Boritt – Scenic Design
Toni-Leslie James – Costume design
Howell Binkley – Lighting design
Gareth Owen – Sound design
David Brian Brown – Musical supervision
August Eriksmosen – Orchestrations
Pippa Ailon – Casting
Natalie Gallacher – Casting
Joel Goldes – Dialect Coach
Alan Berry – Musical Director
FAQ
Which theatre and where?
Come From Away is showing at the Phoenix Theatre which is located at Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0JP
How does it work?
Choose your seats via our live booking platform, once payment is completed you will receive an email confirmation with your booking reference number and e-Tickets.
Any Questions?
If you have any questions about your ticket purchase you can contact our customer services team on 020 3670 8887
Good to know
Strobe lighting is used several times during the performance.
Suitable for children?
Come From Away is recommended for ages 10 and above.
Can I video record or take photos?
The use of camera and sound recording equipment is strictly prohibited.