Come From Away

Come From Away a musical staged and produced by Adlington Music & Arts Society at the Community Centre, Railway Road, Adlington – Thursday 30th April 2026

Come From Away ... this truly is a heart‑warming story, from a book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. It tells of the residents of Gander, a small town in Newfoundland, Canada, and how they welcomed and cared for 6,579 passengers from 100 countries who suddenly found themselves grounded there when 38 planes were diverted after the devastating terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, in New York, forever known as 9/11! Crucially, the creators remind us that this isn’t a story about September 11th, but about September 12th — about compassion, humanity, and what people are capable of doing for others in the darkest of times!

Production Team ...  taking on such a complex, widely celebrated, fast‑paced and emotionally charged musical is a huge challenge for even the most seasoned director — let alone someone tackling their very first musical, but Paul Ward stepped up to the challenge supported by Owen Tyas (Musical Director), Jonathon Pill (Choreographer, also playing ‘Kevin T’) and Natalie Cleary (Production Manager). Casting is absolutely key to the success of this musical as is the effort and energy required by the cast and it was obvious from the off, that this cast had embraced and took up every challenge that this musical had thrown at them! That said, not everything landed as intended, the biggest issue for me was the sound: dialogue was often lost beneath the orchestra, especially the drum, which dominated on many occasions, causing dialogue, and key elements of the narrative to be missed. I’m not entirely sure why this happened, but it did make following the storyline that more difficult at times.  However — and this is important — despite those issues,
I really did enjoy this production. The cast worked incredibly hard and judging by the reactions throughout and the applause at the end … enjoyed by all those present that evening.

The Cast ... there’s little or no doubt that this is very much an ‘ensemble’ musical. There are no traditional leads — the strength lies in the collective. We had a cast of twelve each taking on many roles, often switching characters with nothing more than a cap, a jacket, or a quick on‑stage transformation. Some of these changes worked beautifully; others were a little less clear, but that was never through lack of effort. On top of all that, the cast were constantly moving chairs and props to create buses, planes, meeting rooms and more.  Life is never dull for an actor in Come from Away!
The cast included: Connor O’Beirne (Nick), Carly Lomax (Janice), Emma Sutch (Bonnie), Olivia O’Connell (Beulah), Stephanie Maloney (Beverley), Jonathon Pill (Kevin T), Andy Lane (Oz), Mags Sheldon (Diane), Dave McCarrick (Claude), Jim Taylor (Bob),
Cameron Luke Saripalli (Kevin J), Leonie Hamilton‑Amatt (Hannah).
As most will know, I’m never one to sit on the fence, so I’m going to start by giving ‘shout outs’ to three favourite couples starting with... Connor O’Beirne and Mags Sheldon who played ‘Nick’ & ‘Diane’ respectively. This was a great pairing who showed us genuine chemistry. Their scenes together were charming, their rendition of ‘Stop the World’, sung with the company was a highlight.  
Olivia O’Connell and Leonie Hamilton‑Amatt played ‘Beulah’ and ‘Hannah’ respectively. Their friendship felt authentic and was deeply moving. Hannah’s rendition of ‘I Am Here’ was especially powerful — a mother’s anguish beautifully captured. Jonathon Pill and Cameron Luke Saripalli played ‘Kevin T’ & ‘Kevin J’ respectively. Jonathon shone as Kevn T. Great character created with wonderful stage presence. Their chemistry, as a couple, didn’t always fully connect, yet both delivered individually strong character work. Moving away from the couples, I really did enjoy Stephanie Maloney performance as ‘Beverley’ ... a confident portrayal of the courageous female airline pilot. I also enjoyed Emma Sutch portrayal of ‘Bonnie’ … Emma created this warm, committed, believable animal‑loving hero. Be proud each and all!

Set & Technical... we were met with an open stage and a gauge with ‘Come from Away’ emblazoned across it. This was removed as the show opened to show a minimal but effective set: a wooden‑slatted backdrop with a working door stage right, with a branch‑like effect separating the stage from the extension. On the extension … a sea of suitcases. Entry and exit points allowed the action to flow smoothly. Chairs and tables were used creatively throughout.  Richard & Judith Leigh (Stage Managed). Stephen Pilkington, Russ Jones and Howard Bates (Stage Crew/Set Builders & Painters) with assistance from the cast, they kept everything moving smoothly.
Lighting… the ever-present Richard Cornes, Stuart Naylor in company with Jamie Flavell and Hannah Wallwork were in control of the lighting which enhanced the production so well.
Sound… unfortunately was a recurring issue. Levels were unpredictable; the drum, as previously stated, dominated on occasions. Sound was in the capable and experienced hands of Joanna and Natalie Sweet, so I have little or no doubt that every effort would have been made to resolve these problems, unfortunately, on this occasion, without success!

Band... led by Owen Tyas (Musical Director). The band sounded excellent at times, but as previously stated, there were occasions when the balance became an issue. I wasn’t actually sure where the band was located, so it’s hard to suggest a reason, but it did create moments where the band/vocals overpowered or interrupted the dialogue making following the narrative difficult.

Costumes & Props... costumes were overseen by Meredith Atherton. They were appropriate and of the era. Props, managed by Judith and Richard Leigh, were authentic and used well.

In Summary ... this really is a complex and demanding musical that most if not all amateur companies will find a challenge. But, as previously stated, I really did enjoy it; yes, it had its challenges, but the heart, effort and commitment throughout were unmistakable and has previously stated, the applause throughout and at the end, along with a partial standing ovation, I’m of the opinion, that this was a production enjoyed by all the society’s loyal followers.

Thank you for the invitation and for allowing me to attend your rehearsal. My mission is to always help, encourage and support all my societies, any advice I put out there is purely meant as constructive advice/guidance for the future! Things will and do go wrong, this is live theatre and sometimes they simply can’t be fixed in that moment! Thank you Meredith for looking after my wife and I that evening, really appreciated. Thanks also to Natalie for arranging the rehearsal visit and it was lovely, on the night, to finally meet Heather Hodgson after missing her on so many occasions in the past. Already looking forward to Oklahoma in October.

Stay safe, keep well .... ‘Stronger Together’
Jim Briscoe NODA NW
District 6 Rep

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