2019 looks set to be more than a little exciting in the West End, with Broadway hits Dear Evan Hansen and Waitress among the shows heading to London over the coming months. This week saw the European launch at Canada House of another American import: multi-award winning Come From Away, the story of a small town in Newfoundland that took in thousands of passengers stranded by the 9/11 terror attacks.

Written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away will have its European premiere at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin from 6th December to 19th January, before taking up residence at London’s Phoenix Theatre from 30th January.

On September 11th, 2001, as news broke of the terror attacks in the States, U.S. airspace was closed, leaving 7,000 people on planes with nowhere to go. Landing in Newfoundland, they were taken in by the residents of Gander, who had dropped everything to get the town ready, and worked tirelessly for five days to make their unexpected guests feel at home.

It’s hard to imagine how a musical inspired by 9/11 could be uplifting, but this heartwarming and universal story, which celebrates friendship, support and resilience in the darkest of times – not to mention the unique and infectious Newfoundland spirit – has been warmly received across North America since it was first performed in Ontario in 2013. “People around the world are hungry for stories about kindness,” said writer David Hein in a video message sent to the London launch, as he and Irene Sankoff prepared for the opening of the North American tour in Seattle. “We can’t wait to share it with the world.”

Directed by Christopher Ashley, winner of the 2017 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical, the European cast includes former Wicked star Rachel Tucker as Beverley Bass, the first female captain for American Airlines, who was among those stranded in Gander. Starring alongside her will be Jenna Boyd, Nathanael Campbell, Clive Carter, Mary Doherty, Robert Hands, Helen Hobson, Jonathan Andrew Hume, Harry Morrison, Emma Salvo, David Shannon and Cat Simmons.

The London launch concluded with cast performances of three musical numbers from the show, and even after only two days of rehearsal guests were left in no doubt that we’re in for a treat when Come From Away touches down in Europe. Get booking now for this joyous celebration of the very best of humanity – in a world that often feels a very dark place, this is exactly the kind of story we need to be sharing, and I for one cannot wait.

Book now for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre, London (from 30th January).