As everybody knows RMS Titanic sank in the Atlantic Ocean on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York on 14 April, 1912. She was the largest and most luxurious ship ever built and she was thought to be unsinkable; and since she was unsinkable, there were not enough lifeboats. The ship was so designed that it could float with any two of her sixteen watertight compartments flooded. She could float with any three of her first five compartments flooded. But the iceberg caused a 300 foot gash which cut all five of the first compartments in one slice. Titanic sent up flares of distress. A nearby ship presumed they were fireworks celebrating the maiden voyage. Of the 2207 men, women and children on board, only 705 were saved.
Much the best account of the tragedy is Walter Lord’s chronicle, A Night to Remember, and much of the story is told in the words of the survivors. There have been about 18 films, including newsreels and documentaries, the most famous being James Cameron’s blockbuster, with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, which brilliantly recreated the liner and the sinking, but was let down by a banal love story.
Now London, at long last, has an opportunity to see a musical which premiered in New York in 1997 and received mixed reviews and played to poor houses until it won 5 Tony awards, including best book by Peter Stone and best score by Maury Yeston.
Southwark Playhouse has a good reputation for reviving musicals, and many of their best productions have been directed by Thom Southerland, who is very impressive here. The show lasts two and a half hours (the time it took Titanic to sink). Many of the characters, a cross-section of society from millionaires to Irish immigrants, are based on actual passengers and crew. A talented ensemble plays a variety of roles which involve some very quick changes. The drama is first-rate throughout and especially so when the ship’s owner, builder and captain are blaming each other for the tragedy.
Titanic, melodic and varied, is essentially serious and deeply felt, a compassionate and dignified tribute to all those who died. In the intimacy of Southwark Playhouse, this chamber version has a far greater emotional impact than the epic staging I saw on Broadway, which cost 10 million dollars (far more than the cost of the original liner).The operatic choral opening, a hymn to safety, superbly orchestrated, superbly sung, gets the production off to a memorable soaring start. It is not difficult to imagine Titanic one day being staged by ENO. In the meantime I can’t wait to see it again and hope very much that it will transfer to the West End and reach the wide audience it so richly deserves.