* Apologies for the time it has taken to produce this review, I have been fully occupied with auditions for my own production but can now breathe once more. *

Welcome to the rock if you come from away. 
You probably understand about a half of what we say. 
They say no man is an island, but an island makes a man, 
especially when one comes from one like Newfoundland. 
Welcome to the rock.

On September 11, 2001, USA came under attack from terrorists who had hijacked domestic airplanes and … the rest is well known. What wasn’t at the time was that 38 flights holding 7000 passengers were diverted to the small town of Gander in Newfoundland whose population doubled overnight. Come From Away is the story of those who landed, and the ones who helped.

This is a musical I have been wanting to see for a long time; therefore, I was delighted to hear of this Solihull amateur premiere courtesy of Creators Theatre Company. A group only founded five years ago, but what I saw was a production of professional standards so high you would think you were in the West End.

The stage at The Core had been transformed with rustic wood cladding, and you could smell it in the atmosphere, taking you to a destination far away. As for props, it was pretty much basic tables and chairs, used to great effect and worked so well imagination didn’t even come into it, such was the power of the performances in front of you. The cast was 16 who portrayed as well as their principal characters (and as described in the programme) — & Others. It’s hard to pick standouts as they were all magnificent and strong in delivery. However, I did enjoy the chemistry between Nick (Lloyd Scarsbrook) and Dianne (Jenne Collins) and the wackiness of Emily Holton as Bonnie the Vet. But as I have said, this was really a team effort with the rest of the cast being Adrian Wilson (Claude), Charlotte Boyer (Beulah), Alexandra Stait (Capt. Beverley Bass), Beth Jones (Janice), Solomon Smith (Bob), Izzy Owen (Annette), Daniel Summers (Kevin T.), Dominic Wilson (Kevin J.), Gabby Baldwin (Hannah), James Moore (Oz), Ravin Thakrar (Ali/Doug), Kate Davie (Crystal) and Gavin Whichello (Garth).

This is a show about love and kindness, but it is also one which moves at a speed which doesn’t give the audience chance to catch breath, let alone those on stage. I’ve directed shows and yet I wouldn’t know where to begin with this one. Credit therefore must go to the fantastic production team of Richard Agg (Director), Chris Davies (Musical Director) and Suzanne Ballard Yates (Choreographer). The movement of the actors was coordinated in a way that I had never seen before, and every one mattered with those on stage all having the responsibility for scene and prop changes. The accents and aesthetics were authentic as well, and you genuinely felt you were there. Well, being in the front row, I certainly did. A totally immersive experience.

It’s hard to pick standout songs because this is an epic from start to finish. The show is one act, lasting 100 minutes, and this added to the experience and pace. At the end, there was a standing ovation from all, and so deserved. One of the best productions I have seen on the local front for a long time.

Cheers.

Antony N Britt

*Photos taken from social media.