Image: Jon Sebastian as Ismay, Don Winsor as Andrews and Paul Batey as Captain Smith in StageArt’s Titanic: The Musical photograph by Belinda Strodder.
The oft-told tale of the tragedy that is the sinking of the Titanic seems like a crazy idea for a musical. Really? People running around the stage singing ‘we’re sinking, we’re sinking’ sounds ridiculous. And then there’s the question of how to represent the physical sinking of the ship on stage. Thankfully, instead this musical scales down the scope of the events to focus on the class structure aboard the ship, the individual stories of several passengers and the crucial events that took place on that fateful night in 1912.
The original Broadway production opened in early 1997 – just a few months before James Cameron’s blockbuster film was released – with a score by Maury Yeston and a book by Peter Stone. The lavish production had a painful preview period plagued by endless technical difficulties (the ship wouldn’t sink!) but the show went on to win five Tony Awards including best musical and best score. Titanic had it’s Australian premier in 2006 in a short lived Sydney production that closely followed the original staging. This brand new production by StageArt is a revised ‘chamber’ version of the show originally staged in 2012 and features a slightly amended book, a smaller cast and new orchestrations for a string-based band.
StageArt have been around for a few years now presenting such shows as Hair (2013), In the Heights (2015) and Saturday Night Fever (2016) but this production of Titanic is their best offering yet and stands as a testament to just how far this independent company have come – it’s brilliant.
Titanic follows the journey of several passengers and crewmembers from different social classes and occupations. We witness stories of relationships tested, personalities clashing and fateful decisions made. Although we know the outcome from the outset it’s a testament to James Cutler’s sensitive direction and his wonderful cast that the performance is still incredibly emotional and full of tension and pathos.
The entire ensemble is superb, bringing their diverse characters to life and honouring the legacy of the thousands of unfortunate souls who lost their lives. They sing Yeston’s slightly operatic score beautifully, but it is the powerful acting from the cast that succeeds in making this production of Titanic truly memorable. Each actor creates a distinct character (or in some cases multiple characters) and the climactic lifeboat sequence becomes truly heart wrenching thanks to these accomplished performances.
Greta Sherriff and Matthew Hyde as Caroline Neville and Charles Clarke sing their roles gorgeously as a newlywed couple from two different social classes struggling to make their relationship work. As Barrett the stoker David Irvine commands the stage with a strong physicality and an attractive voice. His duet with Joel Granger as radio operator Harold Bride is one of the musical highlights of the evening. Christopher Southall is perfectly cast as the uptight 1st class steward Henry Etches and Casey Withoos is hilarious as Alice Beane the social climbing busy body from second class. There is not enough space in this review to mention everyone in the company, but this is a true ensemble effort and the cast is first rate.
A large wooden deck raised at the back to create a steep rake dominates the stage design and the angle is dramatically increased in act two after the ship has hit the iceberg. A small group of string players sit centre stage in a pit, cleverly representing the musicians aboard the Titanic, and large silk drapes envelop the stage; the central drape is used to project dates and times over the top of a blueprint of the ship itself. The cast use simple wooden chairs throughout the show to represent different settings and props such as suitcases, gates and tables. These clever design elements coupled with Cutler’s smart and economical staging ensures that the cast of twenty never look cluttered in the intimate performance space – no small feat for a director working at Chapel off Chapel!
All of the technical elements in the production work seamlessly to create a truly elegant and thrilling show. Lucy Laurita’s costumes are period perfect and clearly delineate class and occupation. The lighting design by Giancarlo Salamanca is striking, appropriately dramatic when required and at times hauntingly beautiful, such as when one psychologically tortured crewmember commits suicide. Marcello Lo Ricco’s sound design highlights the music effectively, ensuring every note and word of Yeston’s extensive score is crystal clear, and shocks the audience with dramatic booms as the ship hits the iceberg and subsequently sinks into the ocean.
Titanic: The Musical is far from a disaster for StageArt; it is an utter triumph. In their most accomplished production yet this independent musical theatre company presents the well known story of maritime history’s darkest hour with simplicity, sensitivity and unabashed emotion.
Bring the tissues and tell the naysayers to go along and see for themselves; trust me, they will be eating their words.
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Titanic: The Musical
Story & Book by Peter Stone
Music & Lyrics by Maury Yeston
Presented by StageArt
Chapel off Chapel
7-24 July 2016​
