Why Come From Away is a musical we all need to see right now...

It will be directed by Erin Cornell and Anika Watkins with performances from October 22-25.

Jay Alderton is delighted to be among the multi-roling cast of 16, playing one of the passengers and also one of the locals.

Jay saw and loved the recorded version of the show: “I haven't actually seen it live yet but when the opportunity came up, when COS were one of the first UK amateur theatre groups to get the rights to put it on, I was not actually originally going to go for it. I was wanting a bit of the break. I had done a fair few things with HAODS, a run of shows back to back but then the opportunity came at a time for me when I actually really needed it. I had a bit of bad news at the beginning of the year. I got made redundant. And I just needed something to put my mind to. My wife Lizzie said that she was going to audition for it and I just thought what's the worst thing that can happen. I thought I might as well try.”

Jay is delighted that it came off – for both of them.

“It just feels it is such an important message about togetherness and the fact that we are all in this together. So I just thought I should go for it. It just seemed to fall into place at the right time for me. But it's an extremely challenging show to put on but it's also great fun. It's one act. It's 90ish minutes with no interval and we're on stage the entire time and each of us is playing multiple characters.

“And the music is just incredible. It's very focused. It is very heartfelt. There are songs like Prayer which is quite religious but such a lovely song. There are other songs that are very folky and very dancy. The band will be on stage. They are taking part in it all and they're on stage the whole time.”

The message is so important: “It is about coming together and facing the challenges together. It doesn't matter where you are from or who you are. Everybody is in this together and that's what's so lovely about the show. It's quite a small cast. There are only 16 of us. An average show would be 30-plus but this show could be done with as few as 12 people but we've got 16 and for everyone it's just about being together and working together. And the thing that is great is that it is actually true. It really happened, and it is such a strong story.”

Given that we are once again in troubled times, it is all the more relevant: “That's why it's more important than ever to keep on putting on shows like this, shows that are saying that we need to be together in all this and that we need to treat each other with kindness and respect.”