When I heard that Come From Away was heading out on its first nationwide tour, I had all my fingers and toes crossed that it would pay a flying visit to Kent.

I first saw the show when it opened in London and it stuck in my head as one of the best I’d ever seen – but now that a few years had passed, I was concerned that maybe it wasn’t quite as good as I’d remembered.

I needn’t have worried. The show lived up to my expectations, and then some, as it opened at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury for its five-day run.

The musical, written by husband-and-wife team Irene Sankoff and David Hein, tells the story of the 7,000 air passengers who were grounded in the remote Canadian town of Gander after the September 2001 terror attacks.

We, the audience, were first introduced to the small Newfoundland community going about their daily lives. We saw mums dropping their kids off at school, police officers handing out speeding tickets and the mayor stopping off to pick up his morning drink.

Then, we met the passengers aboard the plane who were flying from all corners of the world on business trips, couples’ holidays and to visit family, all completely unaware of the events unfolding across America.

The two groups – both played by the same handful of actors – then came together as the plane landed in Gander and the townspeople rallied around to help house, clothe and feed the stranded passengers.

It’s all inspired by not only a real-life situation but also real-life people. The characters are based on true stories, from the first female American Airlines captain to the local news reporter who became so famous she was contacted by Oprah Winfrey.

The scenery and costumes were fairly basic, but this show doesn’t need glitz and glamour to make it come to life.

The actors themselves made it soar. It’s a small cast of just 12 people, but by simply changing their accents or seamlessly slipping on a new jacket, the cast managed to portray an entire town and thousands of people from all over the globe brilliantly.

The musical numbers, including Welcome to the Rock and Me and the Sky, flowed from one to another, with few pauses and no interval, but this fluidity helped draw us into the story and I was utterly captivated – that is until the actors suddenly walked off stage and a voice announced that the performance was being halted due to a backstage issue.

After about 15 minutes the actors silently returned to the stage and picked up where they left off, but it was a huge shame that the show was interrupted and we were taken out of the moment.

However, the actors continued without hesitation and it only took a minute or two before I was right back there, in Gander, enthralled yet again by the stories of these people.

It’s rooted in real life, so there were some truly devastating scenes and it made it all the more sobering to think about what so many people went through after the 9/11 attacks.

However, it’s also uplifting and life-affirming and I think the message of the show, for all its heart-breaking moments, is overwhelmingly positive.

I was completely wowed, not only by its story but also by its creativity and uniqueness, the first time I saw Come From Away, and I felt wowed all over again after seeing it for a second time.

Judging by the glowing comments I overheard from other theatre-goers as we left the Marlowe last night, I’d say I’m not alone in my adoration.

Come From Away is at the Marlowe Theatre until Saturday, November 16. You can book tickets online here.

You can also book tickets by calling 01227 787787.