Review: Titanic at the Southwark Playhouse

Titanic 

Southwark Playhouse

Reviewed on Wednesday 31st August 2013

The thing that lets this show down most is its title. 'Titanic, A New Musical' gives the impression to the uninitiated that this will be a bawdy jazz hands and tap dancing extravaganza. Fortunately, through Maury Yeston's sweeping, emotional score and Peter Stone's factual but slightly try-hard book we are presented with a realistic multi-dimensional world full of hope, chivalry and that certain sense of foreboding attached to any piece whose protagonist is The Unsinkable Ship. Without having a more substantial character-driven plot, the musical becomes simply a document of the tragedy and adds no further comment to the disaster than those explored in James Cameron's 1997 film, with which constant comparison for the modern audience is unavoidable.

This piece is well-constructed and is fairly extensive in its historical exploration. We are introduced to historical figures from third class all the way through to the Captain's bridge. Despite the myriad of characters, each storyline is engaging enough to evoke an emotional pay-off as hope turns to tragedy in the second act, including a particularly moving scene as the lifeboats are lowered, leaving those on board to their fate. At the show's apex, we find an excellently executed argument of blame between Captain Smith (Philip Rham), the ship-builder Andrews (Greg Castiglioni) and the ship owner Ismay (Simon Green), upon whom the blame clearly falls according to this show. The theme of blame mixed with guilt grows as the disaster unfolds, highlighted by Siôn Lloyd's captivating performance of the unsure first mate, Murdoch.

One of director Thom Southerland's many talents is managing to assemble a fantastic cast and this ensemble is no exception. Most of the actors play multiple clearly delineated roles, my particular favourites being Matthew Crowe's chirpy but socially incompetent Bride and Victoria Serra's wonderfully warm and headstrong Kate McGowan. The cast includes some beautiful voices, particularly that of Claire Marlowe, although it does sound like a few of the men struggle with the lower range of the score. The ensemble sound of the piece is astounding. Musical Director Mark Aspinal must also be congratulated by creating a suitably full acoustic with his small band. 

Yeston's score, which is at times a little slow in its overuse of recitative and a little forced in its shoe-horning of certain songs, manages to capture the positive promise of a new life and then reflects the panic and resignation of the unfolding events. This resonates in Southerland's direction: he manages very well to capture the essence of excitement in the first act and hysteria in the second, complete with moments of MGM magic and the clever use of his favourite piece of set: a versatile, moveable tread of steps. David Woodhead's dual-level set allows for various playing spaces and the clever use of ropes is enough to give theatricality whilst allowing the audience to use its imagination to complete the picture. A metallic soundscape by Andrew Johnson compliments the wooden timbre of the strings and Howard Hudson's increasingly cold lighting manages to focus action in the thrust stage design.

This show warrants a bigger stage, bigger set, bigger cast and bigger band and it is a shame that the only viable option for this musical in London is to be put on as a chamber piece. One reason for the show's lack of commercial success is certainly the title: with no other show does the entire audience know the ending before the show has begun. Thus it is the narrative's presentation which becomes all-important and this production makes an excellent job of retelling that awful night in a fashion that enables us, 101 years later, to experience some of the emotions that passengers and crew felt as that infamous ship sank.

Reviewed by Ted McMillan
ted@westendframe.com

Titanic runs at the Southwark Playhouse until Saturday 31st August 2013.
Please visit www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk for further information and tickets.

Photo Credit: Annabel Vere

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