‘Community coming together’: Actor’s personal experience a case of art imitating life

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

Luke Robb will never forget the welcome Timaru gave him and his brother when they came to stay with their aunt following the Canterbury earthquakes.

Witnessing first-hand the generosity of strangers from throughout New Zealand, and the world, as a 10-year-old, Robb said it was a great example of communities coming together after tragedy struck.

His parents, whose home was red zoned following the quakes, sent the children to Timaru temporarily in 2010, before eventually moving the family to the town permanently.

The Robbs were among hundreds of earthquake refugees who moved to the district following the earthquakes, with a special emergency operations centre established at Caroline Bay, and many residents opening their homes to their northern neighbours.

And Robb had been reminded of that experience as he prepared for the role of Kevin T in the South Canterbury Drama League Musical Theatre section’s production of Come From Away which opens at the Playhouse, in Timaru, on Friday evening.

“It’s about the community coming together and supporting others,’’ he said.

The play is based on the true story of what happened when 38 jet planes were diverted to the small Newfoundland town of Gander when United States airspace was closed after 9/11 in 2001.

The small town of 9000 took the plane people, known as the “come from aways’’ into their homes and looked after them, fed them, clothed them, and entertained them for five days.

Robb, now a teacher at Gleniti Primary School, said while his own experience was nothing like that of those impacted by 9/11 he said doing the show he was reminded of not knowing what was happening when the earthquake hit on February 22, 2011.

His mother, a teacher, worked at his school, St Paul’s, which had moved to Cathedral College following the 2010 quake in September.

The Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, which neighboured the college, was heavily damaged in the quake and Robb remembered parts of it falling. It was later demolished.

“There was so much uncertainty in the days afterwards and coming to Timaru and going to Sacred Heart [Primary School].’’

He remembered being the recipient of gifts from school pupils from throughout the world and the kindness of strangers.

Robb said he decided to audition for the play as it was a “challenging’’ role and at the weekend the cast was lucky enough to have a video call with the former mayor of Gander, Claude Elliot, who was portrayed in the play.

He said Elliot told the cast many who had performed in the play over the world had been “caught up’’ on getting the accent right.

“But he said the big thing was to tell the story and how important that was.’’

With opening night looming, Robb said he was excited to be given the opportunity to share the important story of community and he hoped in doing so he would also honour the hard work of his fellow cast and crew members.

Come From Away opens at the Playhouse, Church St, at 7.30pm, and runs until Sunday. It will also be staged from July 29 to August 2, and from August 5 to 8.

Tickets are available at iticket.co.nz.