Titanique
Review by Sam
⭐️⭐️⭐️
It is a little known fact that along with singing the title track for the 1997 James Cameron film, global superstar Céline Dion was in fact on board the Titanic itself on that fateful day... well so she says in this comedically spoofed, high-camp, musical parody!
After exclaiming to a group of museum visitors that she was onboard the doomed ship, Céline Dion (Astrid Harris) re-tells her interpretation of what really happened on the Titanic as we flash back to the historically (in)accurate version of events. The humour to be expected and type of production audiences are in for can be perfectly summed up with the characters that are introduced in the opening moments aboard the ship... Luigi (yes, the Italian plumber) and the hilariously named sailor, Seamen. This is just a taste of the chaotic mayhem that unfolds over a tight 2 hr run time. Whilst the show is packed to the rafters with references, jokes, and drag acts, not all gags land as intended, with some sinking along with the ship itself. However, when the laughter does come, it does so thick and fast, hitting audiences in the gut with iceberg sized joke after joke. So, whilst not all the humour sticks the landing, there is no time spent waiting for the next laugh.
The cast are stacked with diamonds, with each shipmate bringing chaos and laughter beat after beat. Currently making their West End debut, is William Hanson as Ruth, a role which as of recently has been graced by varying comics. Hanson's delivery and comedic timing is unmatched, making his casting a perfect fit for the production and his third wall breaking humour receive some of the biggest laughs of the night. Special mentions also must be given to Michael Vinson, Cameron Vear and Rose Galbraith who all display their jaw droppingly vast vocal range.
Titanique isn't just another absurd comical film parody, as it weaves a high-camp, queer, theatrical celebration throughout. The result is a ship of dreams in and of itself, one of which the likes of has never graced the West End before, and probably never will again.