When the rights for Come From Away were released for use in amateur dramatic productions, there was no doubt a flurry of activity up and down the country as groups sought to tackle this beast of a show.
And it is a beast.
A West End and Broadway hit with songs that will reside in your head for weeks and a story that will stay in your heart forever.
Complicated harmonies, a Newfoundland accent that would make most seasoned actors wince, and a reliance on incredible storytelling.
This is not a show for the faint-hearted.
At its heart is a story of resilience, community spirit, and people rallying together during one of the worst crises the world has ever seen - 9/11, and its gargantuan ripple effects.
It’s a show that calls for precision, close attention to detail, and a level of acting that brings the subtleties of that landmark situation fully to life.
Green Shoe Performance Company more than rises to the challenge.
From the moment you step into Prudhoe Social Club - the perfect setting for a show about the importance of community - you are transported into Gander, Newfoundland.
Posters of its occupants line the walls, the residents sit amongst the audience, and delicious Newfie Snowballs are handed out as you’re welcomed in.
You are part of the show… Toto, we’re not in Prudhoe anymore.
September 11th, 2001.
A horror that would leave its mark for generations has just happened.
A global event is unravelling, and thousands of people are stranded mid-flight in planes that have just been ordered to land.
Thirty-eight passenger planes find themselves on Gander tarmac on the tiny island of Newfoundland off the Canadian mainland.
Lost, scared, and with no idea when they will be allowed to go home, the ‘plane people’ don’t know it yet, but they’ve landed right in the middle of a community that will welcome them with open arms.
For many, this will be a life-defining moment, they will arrive as strangers and leave as family.
The next couple of hours will tell incredible true stories, and I’m going to guess, leave most of the audience having their faith in humanity restored.
There was a fizz in the air when the show began - a live band will do that - especially when it’s of the calibre they have here.
The musicians, led by Musical Director Steven Quilliam, are the real deal.
The music is beautifully played by David Lamb, Jack Ruddick, Joe Mooney, Claire Arthur-Lusby, Tom Quilliam, and Steve Quilliam.
It is a real treat.
We are introduced to the residents of Gander, and the talented cast of 13 who multi-role their way through countless characters, accents, and storylines with staggering ease that getting lost in the timeline narrative is simply not a possibility.
We get a glimpse of everyday life in Gander as the Mayor welcomes us in - played by the brilliant Chris Deans.
Not only can he sing and act, but the audience whooped when he cartwheeled across the stage at the end of the show.
It’s little nuggets of joy like this that had the sold-out room on the edge of their seats.
News comes in of the awful tragedy, and the residents get to work.
Katrina Conaty gives a truly magnetic performance as Beulah.
Conaty, one of those performers with intense watchability, has a knack for being able to bring a room to rip-roaring laughter in a split second whilst also maintaining the dramatic weight of a situation so terrible that the only thing the residents can do is keep themselves busy.
Conaty is also vocal director and was responsible for teaching the beautiful harmonies we hear throughout.
We meet Bonnie, played sensitively by Laura Pollock, whose concern for the animals on the planes garnered an audible “aaaw” from the audience.
She exudes warmth and compassion, and it’s this unwavering kindness that each of the residents displays that makes you fall in love with Gander.
Incidentally, she also has a beautiful voice.
Mark Graydon-Close showcases masterful vocals in numerous numbers, but his acting is also brilliant.
A defining moment as President Bush had the audience in the palm of his hand, and his pairing with Stu Rutherford-Orrock as the two Kevins was a real highlight.
Rutherford-Orrock had so many standout lines I lost count.
The audience shrieked as he landed each one with perfect timing, and yet, he carefully handled the more serious themes of Islamophobia with great skill.
A real talent.
The wait for news in Gander continues, and the plane people are restless, desperate to return home.
Marie Deans gives a stunning performance as Captain Beverley, a pilot left with the unenviable task of getting people safely home after their collective trauma.
This is a hard part to cast - you need someone who has a powerful voice as well as impeccable storytelling abilities, and Deans does all this brilliantly and then some!
As is the running theme within this cast, she expertly handles the switches between characters, too.
There are much needed laughs, peppering the gravity of the moment.
Ben Rutherford-Orrock has a plethora of characters and the audience lap them up.
I never imagined I’d be laughing quite so much at a Head Cardiologist and his fellow colleagues.
A standout moment where the audience reaction said it all.
Raucous.
Rutherford-Orrock’s gusto is infectious and you can’t take your eyes off him.
Lucy and Iain Hartley play a couple on stage as well as being married in real life, and their chemistry is simply wonderful, it’s impossible not to fall in love with their blossoming relationship as the hilariously awkward Nick and brilliantly forthright Diane.
Their story is based on a true pairing who met on a plane, and it’s their beautiful storytelling and singing that really drives home how life-changing this event was for everyone involved.
Their duet Stop the World, left many - I’d confidently bet - with a lump in their throat.
Lucy also choreographed the show, which was beautifully done.
The plane sections were particularly impressive - her use of isolated movement really added to the feeling of relentless waiting and anxiety.
Hayley Kock delivers one of the most gut-punching performances as Hannah, who is trying to trace her son, a firefighter, in the tragedy.
Kock is a beautifully detailed performer with a stunning voice, and her delicate portrayal of a woman caught in that most torturous of limbos was really touching.
A driving force throughout the show was Sophie Pasola-Quilliam as Janice, a reporter trying to do her best in an unthinkable situation.
Pasola-Quilliam seems to be a woman of many talents as she switched between characters.
Her guiding commentary was wonderful.
I particularly enjoyed her Geordie flight attendant, a nice touch given the location, brilliantly balancing comedy and panic at the unfolding events.
Rob Hudson as Terry showcased many great moments, and his characterisation was brilliantly different for each of the roles he played.
A scene towards the end of the show had the audience genuinely guffawing.
I was astounded to learn that Rob had also covered another of the parts.
This is a commendable skill in a show of this size and is no small feat.
And lastly, Ben Conaty, the youngest member of the cast, who took on some incredibly challenging roles with such sensitivity that it was hard to believe he is the young age he is.
He confidently commanded the stage and showed a clear talent for comic timing.
For me, seeing Conaty perform with such deftness was a testament to everything Green Shoe is.
Here is a very talented young performer, who surely has a long performing career ahead of him, in amongst a company who are known to nurture and care for those involved.
The situations may be wildly different, but the themes of nurture and community resonate on stage and off.
How apt?
And how does something of this calibre find its way onto a stage in a social club in Northumberland?
There’s no mystery to it – it is dedication and commitment, guided by a theatrical eye that knows how to breathe life into words on a page.
That eye belongs to Jo Quilliam.
If you’re local, the name will likely be familiar.
If you were a young person growing up in the area and drawn to the arts in the 2000s, you will certainly know it.
The ripple effects of Quilliam’s creative influence continue to shape the community, and will be felt for many years to come.
It’s been 13 years since the last Green Shoe show.
Come From Away announces their return.
And what a comeback.
I cannot wait to see what they tackle next.
To have watched a show based so strongly on community, in amongst such a tight-knit one, was a very special experience.
Whether you’re coming from away or coming from down the road, you’re guaranteed a fantastic night watching a Green Shoe performance.
By Daisy Sheen
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