Review Come from afar at Birmingham Hippodrome – ‘surprisingly delightful despite the dark backdrop’

Before this riveting musical began, I didn’t expect a show set after 9/11 to be so heartwarming. But Come From Away, with its bold characters and clever script, leaves you feeling like you’ve seen the best of humanity.

The award-winning show shares the real-life story of the 7,000 airline passengers from around the world who were stranded in Canada in the hours following the unprecedented terrorist attack. Then they find themselves cared for by a small Newfoundland community that welcomes them with open arms.

On one level, the show is a fascinating look at a snapshot in time and a unique urgency created by the most unimaginable circumstances. The arrival of passengers doubles the size of the population within the community – presenting a sudden logistical challenge and a host of problems amid a sudden demand for food, beds, performers and more.

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We see locals struggling to organize transport amid a school bus driver strike; The Bible versus being used to overcome language barriers and a pregnant bonobo monkey and other furry passengers being cared for. But then, on another level, it’s a story about community spirit, unexpected relationships and camaraderie during an extremely tragic event.

And if that sounds a little crazy, there are moments of darkness that keep the show from being too sentimental. Perhaps the most egregious example of this is the Muslim passenger, who is treated with increasing suspicion throughout.

During the time spent in this idyllic and relaxed city, the life of the passengers changed fundamentally. There are so many individual stories woven into the show and the incredible and charismatic cast can effortlessly jump from role to role with ease.

Despite being set in the aftermath of an earth-shattering terrorist attack, the musical is also surprisingly funny – it’s hard not to be captivated by the charming characters as they try to navigate this surreal situation. From the start of the show to the standing ovation at the end, it was evident that the packed crowd at Birmingham Racecourse fully embraced them.

And then, at the same time, there are some truly moving and haunting moments that left the theater completely silent. I didn’t know what to expect at the beginning of the show, but Come From Away ended up being a captivating story of human kindness against the darkest of backgrounds.

Come From Away is at Birmingham Racecourse until Saturday 1 June.