There are some shows you admire and others that catch you rather more unexpectedly. Captivate Theatre’s Come From Away did both. I saw it with my daughter, and remarkably it was the first time either of us had encountered the musical. Sharing that first experience became one of my highlights of this year’s Fringe.
Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s musical takes us to Gander, Newfoundland, where 38 aircraft carrying almost 7,000 passengers were diverted following the attacks of 11 September 2001. It hardly sounds like the starting point for an uplifting musical, yet the extraordinary generosity of the local community provides exactly that.
Getting the balance right is crucial. There must be laughter amongst the darkness and Captivate finds it beautifully. A moose appearing on the road prompts one passenger to produce a camera and give it a quick click. It’s a tiny visual gag, but it produced one of those wonderful collective laughs that releases an entire audience.
Elsewhere, the humour gives way to something considerably more affecting. A Muslim passenger struggling with language finds common ground with a local through the Biblical words, “Be anxious for nothing.” In that moment, scripture becomes a universal language, bridging nationality, religion and culture with remarkable simplicity.
Musically, this production is phenomenal. Under musical director Fraser Hume, the distinctive Newfoundland sound surges through the Assembly Ballroom, capturing something simultaneously Celtic, North American and unmistakably its own. The singing is excellent, the accents are on point, and the constant switching of characters is handled with impressive clarity.
Flick Hannah’s Beverley Bass is a particular standout. Her second half “Me and the Sky” is superb, giving the first female captain for American Airlines a moment that begins in exhilaration before acquiring considerably greater emotional weight. The actor playing policeman Oz also deserves particular mention, effortlessly moving through numerous characters and making each immediately identifiable. My apologies to him, and indeed others in this excellent ensemble, for not being able to name-check everyone individually.
Captivate sold out Come From Away last year and brought it back in the considerably larger Assembly Ballroom. On this evidence, that confidence was entirely justified. The scale may have increased, but the humanity at the heart of the story remains wonderfully intimate.
For my daughter and me, discovering Come From Away together made this an unexpectedly emotional afternoon and one of my top shows this year.
It’s selling out again. If you’re lucky, quick and prepared to do a little ticket hunting, you might still squeeze your way in before the whole damn crazy carnival that is the Fringe packs up for another year.
What are you waiting for? Get going.
Playing until August 30th 2026, https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/2026COMEFRP
Reviewer: Greg Holstead
Reviewed: 20th August 2026
North West End UK / Theatre Muse UK Rating:
Running time – 1hr 45mins