Birmingham Hippodrome – until Saturday 22nd April 2023
5*****
It’s hard to believe that something so tragic can produce something so beautiful, but Maury Yeston’s score contains a tapestry of glorious melodies. They create a brooding texture in which the eager anticipation for the ship’s maiden voyage is overcome by disaster as it hits an iceberg. Yeston chose to focus on the people, delivering a soaring musical that is both accurate and respectful. No wonder it won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical when it opened on Broadway in 1997
Based on real stories and real people, Titanic: The Musical is a story of dreams – dreams of building the greatest ship in the world, dreams of rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous and dreams of finding a better life in America and the nightmare they find themselves in. From the millionaires in First Class to the poorer Third Class desperate to start anew, Yeston, together with Peter Stone, has crafted a powerful, poignant and emotional piece of theatre, full of aspirations, hope, love, ambition and ultimately tragedy.
Knowing the outcome does not diminish the enduring power of the story, especially as told with the fierce dramatic and musical drive of Peter Stone’s beautifully constructed book. It brilliantly establishes the interweaving lives caught up in the story – from crew to passengers of different classes – with Yeston’s sweeping, enveloping score.
Thom Southerland’s outstanding production is merely suggestive of the ship’s vast scale in David Woodhead’s deceptively simple set, but each and every character is superbly established by a fine ensemble cast, all 25 of which are excellent, bringing full voice and powerful characterisation to the 80+ roles that they play. Particularly good work comes from Ian McLarnon as the ship’s architect Thomas Andrews, Adam Filipe as stoker Fred Barrett, Alastair Hill as the telegrapher Harold Bride and Lucie-Mae Summer as passenger Kate McGown. Valda Avkis and David Delve are heartbreaking as Ida and Isidor Straus, who refuse to be parted at the end. And Martin Allanson gives life to the villain of the piece, J.Bruce Ismay the owner of the ship
Southerland’s decision to see the cast arrive and leave through the auditorium also works particularly well, establishing a closer connection with the audience
But the real star of the show is Yeston’s surging and melodic score, which is performed with power and poignancy by Mark Aspinsall’s six-piece band (Ben Papworth, Thomas Leate, Bridget Mansfield, Gemma Connor, Jack Cherry and Craig Apps). Godspeed Titanic and The Proposal/The Night Was Alive stand out in particular for pulling on the heart-strings, with stunning vocal harmonies by the ensemble cast.
Danielle Tarento’s production is just outstandingly flawless