WHILE the rest of the world was reeling and retreating in shock at the images of planes crashing into the Twin Tours and the Pentagon, the residents of Gander in Newfoundland had little time for horrified reflection. Planes from all round the world who were in US airspace were diverted to the town airport, and in all almost 7,000 passengers and crew were forced to land at Gander.
From the time they landed, frightened, confused and anxious for their families and friends, and for up to six days, they were cared for and fed by the local residents. The lives of all were lastingly changed by the experience.
Come From Away, the Newfoundland term for outsiders, is a remarkable musical based on what happened to some of the local residents and their unexpected guests. In it, 12 actors tell the stories of both the Islanders and the Plane People, revealing the fear and uncertainty that came with the terrorist attacks, as well as the profound generosity and compassion of strangers.
Some of the characters are an amalgamation of several people and experiences and others are based on real people, such as Captain Beverly Bass, the first female captain for American Airlines; Kevin Turoff and Kevin Jung, the couple from LA and Nick and Diane, a couple who met in the days following 9/11.
Audiences at Frome Merlin have one of the first opportunities to see an amateur production of this wonderful show, and, as director Claudia Pepler says, one of the most distinctive features is the need for remarkably versatile cast. Just 12 actors bring to life more than 60 different characters, including passengers, pilots, airline staff, townspeople and more. Each actor plays multiple characters, often switching identities instantly on stage with a change in accent, posture or a simple hat!
At Frome, with four performances from Thursday 16th to Saturday 18th July, you can see Dora Bishop, Tom Burge, Tabitha Cox, Alisa Creaser, Matt Dawkins, Davy Evans, Matt Graham, Lou Knight, Rich Pugh, Daisy Weir, Kevin Withers and Victoria Withers bring this gigantic cast to vibrant and always recognisable life.
For more details, visit the Merlin website.