TOPS pull it off with Palace Theatre version of Broadway musical

Sometimes groups of people are overcome by a collective mass-hysteria and do things that are otherwise inexplicable. 

The Salem witch trials, the mass toilet-roll hoarding of 2020 and possibly the group of producers who decided, in 2013, to put on a Broadway musical about the 9/11 bombings of the Twin Towers, and the Pentagon.

It’s fair to say that there have been some bizarre ideas for stage-shows over the years.

However, to focus on an event which killed 2,977 people does not exactly scream ‘fun night out’ and it was therefore with some trepidation that I went to see TOPS production of Come From Away, which is running this week at The Palace Theatre, Paignton.

However, rest assured, from start to finish this, this is the best musical you will see this autumn. 

An energetic cast of just 12 brings a non-stop feat of storytelling, and emotion, which was well suited to the atmospheric Palace Theatre venue.

TOPs have often put on shows there in the past, but it can sometimes seem cavernous unless there is a very big audience.

Rather than focus on the horrendous plane crashes in America, the show tells the true story of the Canadian region of Newfoundland where 38 planes were diverted to and how the local community dealt with the unfolding events and welcomed 9,000 passengers into a place who only had around 7,000 residents. 

Every actor played multiple roles, and joint-directors Gary Abraham and Emily Whittet made impressive use of what is quite a small space to bring to life believable plane interiors, bars or buses. 

Rarely do I watch a show and notice the lighting, but whoever did the lighting design for this, deserves as much praise as anyone on stage.

Having said that, without exception, every cast member was outstanding. Often one or two can let others down, but most were on stage continually for nearly two hours and so convincing was the unfolding story that at times I almost forgot I was watching a musical at all. 

The music, songs and spoken words form a blend that was captivating, and there is rarely a pause for breath. 

Strangely this was helped by not really having any stand-out show stopping songs. This is very much an ensemble piece, and everybody played their part.

I hope the cast won’t mind me saying that not one of them also looks like a West end star, and this ordinariness meant the believability of the setting was enhanced. They certainly sang like they were in the West End though.

Jo Button had a beautiful solo about her lost son, a firefighter in New York; Theresa Pappin, as the first US female air captain, had another compelling number telling her story as a pilot, and there was a powerful song from Arron Kitts, which touched on the mistrust of what religion people were at that time, and how important this became. 

He also played, along with Matt Waring, one half of a vegetarian gay couple, both called Kevin, who got laughs. Waring was also really well cast as an Egyptian passenger who everyone suspects of being a bomber. 

I particularly liked Tracey Loveridge in her role as one of the locals, convincingly trying to cope with the influx of diverse passengers. 

Morgan Westcott, who last appeared in the central role of Elf, played more than one local Mayor getting laughs where others might not.

Victoria Pellant, Christian Brooker and Adam Wilkins all showed great versatility and were the glue that held this show together. 

You will probably most go away though remembering three characters: Harriet Loveridge as a local reporter, who stood out among such a talented cast. The best story, however, was an on-off romance between the wonderfully bumbling Englishman Wayne Kenny and Texan passenger Helen Haviland in by far the best thing I have seen her do on stage.

Finally, huge credit must go to the Musical director, Simon Carter, who I found out learnt the accordion especially for this production. 

His live band were positioned behind slatted wood at the back of the stage which meant you really heard the music, but it did not drown out the singing as can sometimes happen when a band is in the pit, at the front of the stage. 

I absolutely loved at the end that this band came out to be applauded by the audience. The score owes a debt to a lot of Celtic music, which also explained why many of the casts Newfoundland accents were quite heavily Irish sounding.

Sometimes groups of people are overcome by a collective mass-hysteria. The audience for Come From Away, certainly were, and understandably so. 

The whole team deserved the opening night standing ovation they got. This is a show that will definitely be hard to top, by TOPS.

Come From Away runs until November 16 and tickets can be purchased at palacetheatrepaignton.co.uk or by calling 01803 665800.