Come From Away (2021, 9/11 Musical)

[Small Man Big Horse]

This is the filmed version of the Broadway stage musical about how on 9/11 a shed load of planes ended up stuck at an airport in the small town of Gander in Newfoundland, with many of the passengers initially not being told why, while the town's folk rally round and offer to help. Based on the true stories of some of the passengers and town's citizens the first half hour is a bit of a slog and I thought about quitting but it picks up in the second half as it becomes a celebration of how humanity comes together in times of need, well, apart from the one Muslim male in the cast who is horrifically assaulted by security guards. A lot of the first half contains group numbers which are oddly dull but again the second half improves and has a fair few decent songs, and it ended up winning me over by the end. 6.9/10

I have to say though, it's oddly animal obsessed which is something I didn't expect about a musical about people responding to a terrorist attack:

[famethrowa]

I'd say it was okayyy, I'll give it 6/10. Saw it at one of the biggest theaters in the city and I got the feeling I was seeing a community show put on by a professional company.... that is to say I don't think the writing was that great. The music used the same 3-chord run again and again but I guess they can get away with that.

[Dex Sawash]

:

Of course it is you dirty old patriarchy

[Small Man Big Horse]

I'd say it was okayyy, I'll give it 6/10. Saw it at one of the biggest theaters in the city and I got the feeling I was seeing a community show put on by a professional company.... that is to say I don't think the writing was that great. The music used the same 3-chord run again and again but I guess they can get away with that.

I can't argue with that in the slightest and if I'd paid to see it I think I'd have been far harsher in my review, the first act really is dull and like you say the writing really isn't that great, and the same 3 chord run frustrated me too. I think I only gave it a relatively decent score as I liked the second half a lot more, plus the fact that it was based on true stories, if it hadn't been I'd have rated it a lot lower.

[phantom_power]

Come clean your hands on me coat!

[Ferris]

I will point out that Nova Scotia took in more planes and people than Newfoundland on 9/11. Where's our fucking musical then?

(Saw this on Broadway, enjoyed it. Easily a 7.5 for me, Clive.)