The Lowry, Salford – until Saturday 8th July 2023
Reviewed by Matthew North
5*****
Right – full disclosure. I’ve been obsessed with Titanic in general for as long as I can remember. I’ve listened to the original Broadway cast recording of the musical endlessly since it first landed on my iPod (yes… my iPod…) in the mid noughties – and I’ve been completely hooked on Thom Southerland’s production of the show since I first sat down in the Southwark Playhouse back in 2013… the first of seven visits in five weeks. It was that good.
So… did this 10th anniversary tour live up to such expectation, and manage to not compromise such fond memories?
It really really did.
Seeing what began as such an intimate chamber production of a musical that can only be described as epic up-sized in every way to fill one of the biggest stages in the country was one of the biggest theatrical thrills in I can recall in recent memory. Yes, a few moments are lost – but the production still packs every single emotional punch, and a few new ones thrown in too.
The cast are uniformly excellent – not a note missed, every emotional and comedic beat hit (yes, Titanic the Musical will also make you laugh) and the way every single person on the stage weaves in and out of various characters is a testament to their talent and Southerland’s stunning direction. Every character is real, with their own story to tell, and crikey – the way the conclusion of this show hits you right in the feelings (we all know how it ends…) has to be experienced to be really understood.
Across such a strong company, it’s difficult to pick out standouts – but I’d be lying if I said that Bree Smith (Alice Beane) and Valda Aviks (Ida Straus) didn’t totally steal my heart. Watching Aviks tie up the lifejackets of Straus’ maids ahead of arguably the most heartbreaking song in the show is a moment I won’t soon forget – and she easily plays the role the best I’ve ever seen… and I’ve seen this show a lot.
People have a habit of chuckling at the prospect of Titanic the Musical, and often decide that Jack and Rose must turn up for a rousing rendition of some song by Celine Dion (never heard it myself…) but if you haven’t seen this show – and specifically this production – you’re missing out. This tour marks 10 years since this production first premiered, and it’d be a real loss to the industry should this be the last time we see it.
Am I fighting the urge (unsuccessfully) to buy tickets to see it again this week? Yes. Yes I am.
Truly unmissable – musical theatre at its heartbreaking best.