Come From Away at Mayflower Southampton Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Maddie Reynolds
We arrived at the theatre just before 7 and as we had been informed beforehand that they were supporting the local food bank with all food donations going to Feed the Community in Southampton, this is in line with the show and in collaboration with Theatrical Lydia, we took along some food to support the charity.
We had a fantastic view from our seats in Row K and browsed through the programme as we waited for the show to start. I knew the story line but wow, I didn’t expect to be blown away from start to finish. The whole show was captivating.
The story is based on real life events surrounding the 9/11 bombings from the town of Gander (Newfoundland). Following the attacks The Federal aviation Administration shut down airspace which forced thousands of planes to land at nearby airports. Causing 38 planes to land in Gander carrying 6,579 passengers. This would later become the location known as Operation Yellow Ribbon.
After five hours stuck on the ground the passengers were greeted by the small town which only has a population of 10,000. Everyone came together to help feed and house the Come from Awayers and they shared their stories surrounding the events.
The whole show is produced with a cast if amazingly talented people. The musicians were outstanding and were incorporated into the show on stage bringing emotion and life within the scenes.
Bonnie played by Rosie Glossop brought the passion of her career as a pilot to the attention of audience. Vocally she was able to provide a soft and gentle tone to each song.
The whole cast harmonised beautifully and ‘Make me a channel of your peace’ was particularly moving. The outstanding cast members sang in different languages which enabled the reality of this whole disaster bringing people together even at the worst possible moment. The male members of the cast were vocally strong and complimented each other.
The acting and intense character changing is without a doubt an amazing aspect of the show. The very talented Jamel Zulfiqar who played Ali enabled us to feel the impact upon the Islamic community and culture during the time of 9/11. The caring nature of the community of Gander was portrayed enormously by every member of the cast. You can do nothing other than immerse yourself when trying to understand the storyline and how the passengers of these aircraft were feeling.
Throughout the show the set was all very minimalistic but incredibly versatile. The use of lots of props to help set the different scenes was very clever. Each member of the cast played a variety of characters throughout the show. Most of them are on stage for the entire show. They continued this high level performance until the end of the show. Receiving a well deserved standing ovation.
The Mayflower Theatre is easily accessible by car and there is plenty of parking nearby. Alternatively the train station is only a 5 minute walk.
Rating: 5/5
It is running from 16th to 20th April with a choice of Matinée or evening. It’s a show I would recommend seeing it if you get the chance. It has won 4 Olivier awards including best news musical in London and a Tony award on Broadway for best direction. It’s a show not to be missed and is currently on tour.
Tickets are priced from £29.50, They can be booked via the link or by calling the box office on 02380 711811
https://www.mayflower.org.uk/whats-on/come-from-away-2024/