What a glorious, joyous, uplifting new musical - I loved it!
When the terrorist attacks of 911 were on-going, the USA closed its airspace - at the time, there were masses ot aircraft in the air en route to America that had to be diverted. Thirty eight of the aircraft were diverted to Gander airport in Newfoundland, once a major refuelling stop, now a small backwater town of some 9,000 residents with an huge but mostly unused airport. With virtually no warning, over 7,000 passengers and crew descended on the town which was galvenised into the most amazing response - taking in, feeding, housing and befriending their international "guests".
The sttories portrayed are poignant, inspirational and funny yet while laughing you feel the horror from that terrible day well up inside you again - bringing 911 feelings back whilst balancing them with these small human stories is a fine balancing act that the show manages with aplomb. A true ensemble piece (despite the occasional beautiful solo) where the music and choreography are as much a part of the story as the cast performances, this is a high energy piece that picks you up, carries you along and drops you offfeeling better about the world and the human race's capacity for kindness.
Basically, brilliant!
