While the RMS Titanic proved to be all too sinkable, this titanically camp musical spoof of the James Cameron film should sail on for quite some time. Or at least it will if its manifest target audience – unsubtly shouted out to as ‘gays’ at least twice during the show – is as enthusiastic for it here as in New York, where it’s been sitting pretty off-Broadway since 2022.
Devised by Tye Blue (who also directs), Marla Mindelle, and Constantine Rousouli, Titanique is basically a cabaret-style parody that marries the considerable kitsch appeal of the 1997 film with that of its true star – Quebecois singing icon Celine Dion, forever associated with the movie thanks to ubiquitous power ballad My Heart Will Go On.
The show’s undoubted masterstroke is making Dion the main character. Although clearly standing on the shoulders of previous US performers, Lauren Drew is sublime as the Canadian chanteuse. Ostensibly here to tell us the story of the sinking from her perspective, Drew’s spangly whirlwind perfectly captures the real Dion’s peculiar mix of old-fashioned showbiz cheese, mad aunty dottiness and weapons-grade lung power, while less realistically painting her as a delusional (albeit affable) narcissist who genuinely believes she was on la Titanique.
Early on I felt a bit iffy over whether this was entirely appropriate given Dion’s recent health problems - does it feel cruel to parody a version of her that we probably won’t see again? But ultimately it’s an affectionate, funny and thoroughly lovable turn from Drew, who lights up the stage every time she steps on it.
Which is often but not quite enough. Take Drew out of the equation and you have a decent cabaret show with a few extremely fun performances, notably Layton Williams as the iceberg, who is also Tina Turner (don’t ask), and US performer Stephen Guarino, entertaining as Rose’s embittered mother Ruth. Conceptually, however, nothing else is in the league of the Dion character, though, and while Kat Ronney and Rob Houchen as Titanic protagonists Rose and Jack have impressive voices, they don’t have a lot to get their teeth into, comically speaking.
Then there are the improv sections: like guns and Cheez Whiz, improv is one of those very American things that I don’t necessarily object to, but don’t really want coming over here. Guarino’s improvised rant as Ruth is actually pretty funny, but the several occasions when the show stops for performers to improvise feels like it’s catering to audience tastes that simply don’t exist over here.
Elsewhere, a high tolerance for the music of Celine Dion and jokes about twinks will see you in good stead. With adult pantomime season only just winding down it’s difficult to see how some of this is significantly different or superior, though I don’t actually think it’s necessarily a bad thing to have an adult panto on all year round. Only Drew and her Celine Dion character are really remarkable here, but it’s undeniably a fun way to start 2025.
