This evening, Liverpool's Empire Theatre's stage was transformed into the 'Ship Of Dreams', RMS Titanic for the 10th anniversary tour of this Maury Yeston musical.
A few things have changed since the original tour, but not much. A little more emphasis on the musical theatre characters rather than their real-life counterparts who never made it to the States and whose bodies were never recovered, is now given, but the poignancy is never lost, and their reverence to the disaster is never more than a heartbeat away. This can be seen in the set design, in the props they use, and the historical accuracy of their text and story; which despite creating a story around fictional passengers, the crew members are authentically named, and the events leading up to the disaster documented accurately.
Yeston's score is also magnificent. Not once do we hear a phrase or chord that is more modern than 1910. It is quasi-operatic, and is a traditional book musical, and yet it also feels fresh and relevant too, coping with the emotional swells with ease; with the ensemble cast sounding superb with their full chorus harmonies.
The first act is somewhat lengthy at 85 minutes, and it takes a long time for the drama to increase. It is a slow uphill dramatic crescendo which only really starts to make any impart towards the end of the first act, and so perhaps a little judicious editing of this act would not go amiss.
However, the entire ensemble cast in this production are magnificent, and the quality of the singing, and indeed acting, is irreproachable. My favourite song being the gentle 'Still' in act two, sung by an elderly couple opting to spend their last hours on board together, giving up their lifeboat spaces for younger passengers; which leaves a lump in the throat.
We all know the story of The Titanic, and this musical does not pull any punches in that regard. More emphasis however is given to the first class passengers in this show; unlike the famous film starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio, where the third class (steerage) passengers are given equal footing. This is a first-class musical, inasmuch as it serves the first class, is about the first class, and we see the stories of the first class over and above everything else; in fact when we do get just one scene in the boiler room below decks, the song that the men sing there seems somehow out of place with the grandeur and hauteur of the rest of the show.
A solid and touching show, sensitively handled, providing entertainment and information in equal measure, and the talented ensemble cast bring this tragic story to life (and song) with aplomb.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 24.7.23
on - 24.7.23
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