Come From Away

"A big bearhug of a musical...Even the most stalwart cynics may have trouble staying dry-eyed during this portrait of heroic hospitality under extraordinary pressure...'Come From Away' is smarter than it first appears...The show covers a vast expanse of sensitive material with a respect for its complexity...It sustains an air of improvisational urgency, which feels appropriate to a show about making do in crisis, and it doesn’t linger on obvious moments of heartbreak and humanity." Full Review

"'Come From Away,' the inspiring, funny and kick-ass beautiful new musical...takes a true story that began on September 11th, 2001, and tells it in an exhilarating fashion that celebrates decency and human kindness...Director Christopher Ashley's production seamlessly moves from tense moments to humorous ones to unabashedly joyous ones...As long as 'Come From Away' is playing on Broadway, I will recommend it to everyone. Everyone." Full Review

"The cast is a hearty group and so good-natured they really put the lyrics across...Ashley keeps the traffic moving smartly...But there’s no getting away from it—as broad representatives from both camps of hosts and guests, the characters have no character...By the end of the show, the characters are scarcely more defined than they were at the beginning, and the monotonous music may be pounding on your head. But the intentions of the show are so heartfelt." Full Review

"A swelling heart of a musical...'Come from Away's' multiple narratives mostly have low stakes...When it touches on weightier concerns it falters; it is better at celebrating less consequential things...Under Christopher Ashley’s fluid direction, the 12 versatile actors form a true ensemble cast...Despite minor stumbles of craft, 'Come from Away' makes a persuasive case for the value of good intentions. For this kind of uplift you don’t need planes." Full Review

"A show that everybody needs to see...A thoroughly moving experience, brimming with humanity and tolerance. Admittedly, it's not without its flaws; Sankoff and Hein's sweet Celtic melodies have a tendency to blend in together, and the book could afford to flesh out certain situations with greater depth. But Ashley's fast-paced staging is mesmerizing, Devine's foot-stomping choreography is joyful, and an awesome onstage jam band plays Eriksmoen's driving orchestrations with excitement." Full Review

"Creators Sankoff and Hein have crafted a heartwarming and thoroughly entertaining musical...Despite the doubling and tripling of roles, the numerous characters are all vividly rendered, thanks to the skillfulness of the writing and performances...Although not particularly memorable, the music proves consistently engaging and serves the story line beautifully...Serving as a welcome reminder of people’s inherent goodness, 'Come From Away' is the feel-good show of the season." Full Review

“Altogether different and altogether gripping. Written with heart and skill by Sankoff and Hein…creatively and lucidly directed by Christopher Ashley, and performed by a wildly talented cast...The piece is not merely uplifting but entertaining as well...What looks to be the significant success of this new musical stems from the fact that even the most cynical among us is likely to be deeply touched.” Full Review

"By no means the best musical on Broadway, but it’s surely the goodest...The production, tightly directed by Ashley, does its damnedest to knock you into submission. The songs are pleasant...In facing the problem of making its story palatable as a stage work, 'Come From Away,' despite its good heart, has possibly lost its way...That it may succeed in making the audience cry is a testament to its fine qualities, which are sufficient to position 'Come From Away' as a possible feel-good hit." Full Review

“Yes, the book is episodic and the songs are a bit treacly here and there...However, Sankoff and Hein resist these Lifetime-TV temptations for the most part, leavening syrupy ‘feel-good’ tropes with sharp wit and memorable, Gaelic-flavored music. Director Ashley keeps the many characters and settings clear with a precise, fluid direction and strong, detail-laden performances…'Come From Away' offers a reassuring and heartening take on the earth-shattering event." Full Review

"I was worried that 'Come From Away' would be triggering. But the exact opposite occurred. The Canadian songwriting team of Sankoff and Hein are so eager to please that 'Come From Away' keeps a safe distance from the horror of 9/11...'Come From Away' is certainly feel good–also rhythmic, well staged, often funny...Much of the appeal of 'Come From Away' comes not from individual performances but from the precise and lively ensemble work, aided by an eight-piece band." Full Review

"Greater than the sum of its parts. The script is iffy. The music is not exceptional. The sound is so loud that the lyrics are often unintelligible. The talent, it should be noted is not iffy one little bit...No one will leave untouched by this show...The cast is beautifully directed and choreographed. Each actor plays more than one part, and their characterizations are so defined that we never, not for an instant, are lost in the transitions." Full Review

"Without making a fuss or employing dubious dazzlements, stirs one to the core...Under Christopher Ashley's swiftly paced, emotionally astute direction, a company of only twelve portrays everyone with seeming effortlessness...There are moments when, in its portrayal of such universal goodwill, 'Come From Away' flirts with becoming cutesy or too insistently upbeat; time and again, however, it steps back from the brink, reminding us that a world-shaking tragedy is taking place." Full Review

“It seems almost churlish to take apart such a blandly friendly show like ‘Come From Away.’ But bland it is, from the book to the songs to the choreography and pretty much every performance. The inescapable problem is that there is no dramatic story to tell…Any possibilities for tension are mostly ignored…Many of the characters are based on real people but they all feel anonymous.” Full Review

"A gushily sentimental piece of theatrical yard goods that makes every mistake a musical can make...The results play like a volume of oral-history transcripts set to music, and the decision of the authors not to focus tightly on specific characters results in a cluttered, top-heavy show with too much exposition and not nearly enough development...If you’ve been waiting breathlessly for a gooey, uplifting musical about 9/11, your dream has come true." Full Review

"Sunny and overstuffed but well-meaning...It’s a heartwarming story told with high energy, not to mention an effective seminar on crisis management and a persuasive advertisement for Canadian tourism...But good intentions aside, 'Come From Away' has the depth of a Hallmark card and a pub rock score that is generic and unmemorable. In attempting to keep track of so many different people at once without pause, few receive more than superficial treatment." Full Review

"'Come From Away' can't escape its own generic nature; it lacks the necessary fuel. The story doesn't stun...What they have done is make the best of a bad arrangement. They've created one of the most energized and exhilarating evenings of static I've ever seen...Of the many things 'Come From Away' wants to be about, September 11 is pretty far down on the list. That robs it of the urgency, authenticity, and soul it would need to be a grand trek rather than a mildly pleasant detour." Full Review

"This feel-good musical is infectious, enchanting and just what this country needs right now...Director Christopher Ashley and his amazing 12-member cast recreate the story...Each have their moment to shine but they are a true ensemble...It is hard not to be moved. Even as I am writing this I find myself choking up...'Come From Away' is tuneful, smart and heartfelt, and is sure to have you leaving the theatre feeling just a little bit more positive than when you entered." Full Review

"The show insists on a kind of oral-history equality, constantly shifting from one narrator or protagonist to another...This was no doubt intentional...But it comes at the price of character development...The audience for this show will have been more impacted personally by the losses of Sept. 11...This show never explores that truth...To really do that, Ashley's production would have to be more willing to pause, breathe and challenge, and allow those impacted the most to come to the fore." Full Review

"A big-hearted and crowd-pleasing musical...It's a story that sings...While rousing and rich in harmony, the music suffers from sameness and a sound mix that obscures lyrics...Quips are balanced with serious moments revolving around personal crises and cultural collisions, but the show could do with a bit more introspection...Director Ashley guides the excellent cast and energizing staging...It's a singing reminder that when things are at their worst, people can be at their best." Full Review

"Charming and emotionally resonant...'Come From Away' speaks the common language of just folks, and it sings and dances with the authentic inspiration of Newfoundland’s Celtic-based music...Hein and Sarnoff are not Sondheim. The folksy songs in 'Come From Away' are nearly all expository rather than revelatory...The show, staged with kinetic enthusiasm by Christopher Ashley, positively reeks of integrity–positive being the operative word." Full Review

"There's certainly plenty to admire about 'Come From Away'...Director Ashley has done a masterful job of insuring that the 12 actors fluidly shift back and forth between their multiple roles...The resourceful staging and non-stop energy of the performers accomplishes its intent...Unfortunately, there are more than a few things missing...None of the characters really make strong, individual impressions...The music is catchy but repetitive and so abrasively loud that it's hard hear the lyrics." Full Review

"It is a refreshing, warm, and very humane tale that attends to the lump that will be in your throat, and the tears of love and compassion that will run down your cheeks, by also putting a big grin on your face...This writing team does create the most musically lovely story about that day in the most humanly way possible...Beautifully staged by the creative team, 'Come From Away' is one of the most singularly engaging new musicals to come to Broadway this spring." Full Review

"A feel-pretty-nice musical. Think of the simple show as psychological training wheels, perhaps a way to ease us into the unbearable stories our playwrights might someday ask us to confront...The Gander people have a real untold story to tell, which Sankoff and Hein lay out with bits of overlapping narratives and folksy, stomping songs...Director Ashley gets solid, likable performances...Over five days, however, they get distracted into what feels just a bit too much like hootenanny camp." Full Review

"An excellent ensemble of twelve play both the residents and the guests, changing roles faster than you can blink...The style of the music is mainly Celtic folk. Many of the songs sounded alike to my untrained ear. There is one lovely number where several passengers pray, each according to his or her custom....Christopher Ashley’s direction keeps things flowing smoothly...Judging from the audience’s enthusiasm, Broadway will welcome this feel-good musical." Full Review

"As songwriters, this duo relies on a strong percussive element that’s so incessant that their songs take on a militaristic flair. And they’re also very, very loud...Dialogue is shrill and disembodied from the actors, and when the ensemble sings any of the show’s foot-stomping anthems, the lyrics are indecipherable...Christopher Ashley directs the ground traffic, and when he finally gets all those stranded visitors back up in the air you will definitely experience their sense of relief." Full Review