Titanique at the Criterion Theatre

A riotously good time that will leave you in stitches from start to finish. Honestly, I don’t think I ever managed to stop laughing. With an insanely talented cast, fabulous book and completely unhinged ad-lib this show truly delivers and is definitely not a show to miss this season!

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

My Review:

Set sail on Titanique, Titanic if Celine Dion was there, a truly hilarious show that was possibly my favourite show that I have gone into blind. The set designed by David Allen is described as being the Anything Goes set repurposed, and it was perfect for the production, allowing for the showcase and inclusion of the band as well as dynamic levels and various places for cast members to randomly appear from. The costuming by Sabrina Cuniberto complemented the show with one truly stand-out costume moment for Layton Williams and that is all I will say about that to avoid spoilers. Usually, I would struggle with a one-act show with a 100 minute run time, however, they say time flies when you’re having fun and it really did. When the show ended, I realised I hadn’t even noticed the lack of an intermission like I had in other shows with a similar run time, and I loved the reference to it being one act by Lauren Drew (Celine Dion), saying about the 2 second intermission we got. Lighting by Angelo Sagnelli is used to the benefit of this show and this is most notable during the opening lighting scene and then throughout the show when the colours are used to compliment or enhance what is being said on stage. Katie Balmforth’s use of props to enhance the show was extremely noticeable and considered, with more jokes being made through the selection of props, and it truly is something when just a door can leave you dying of laughter. Richard J Hinds presented considered Direction and Choreography which enhanced the content of the show, and this personally is a sign of well thought-out staging of a show.

Lauren Drew leads as the captivating Celine Dion, her out of this world vocals were on full display throughout the show and I will never not be blown away by her voice. However, it was a joy to also get to see her incredible comedic abilities shine through, especially with her ability to essentially hold the audience in the palm of her hand during the show leading to engagement and immersion at just the right moments. I can’t discuss her rendition of Celine Dion without mentioning her ad-libbing, which did not give me a moment to breathe between my laughter and this sentiment was shared by the entire audience, all of whom were absolutely immersed by her performance and left laughing out loud every 5 seconds. Darren Bennett (Victor Garber/Luigi) takes the ship and audience on a journey that reaches a perfect climax with his solo as the Iceberg Bitch hits the ship. Once again his performance was truly fabulous and his dancing and fan-choreography were stellar. Jordan Luke Gage plays, the love to hate him, Cal. His vocal talent was on full display during his solo and the ability to instantly switch his emotion and portrayal and the drop of a coin is a testament to his talent and allowed for a phenomenal performance from him that was added to by his hilarity during other moments such as the Lifeboat battle. Stephen Guarino (Ruth) stole the show for me in terms of comedy as everything they did was completely unexpected but perfectly considered and I knew that if I saw them on stage I was about to be in stitches due to both their side comments, which the other cast definitely couldn’t hear and their physical performance with some wonderful turns across the stage throughout. Rob Houchen (Jack) is a star and this show solidifies that especially his interactions with Kat Romney (Rose) which were able to tell the story of the love of Jack and Rose whilst also maintaining the comedy of the show was a perfect balance and as someone who isn’t overly familiar with Titanic I did not feel lost at any point during the show. His physical theatre was impeccable and added aeons to his already incredibly enjoyable portrayal of Jack, these were especially showcased during the iconic door and painting scenes which even as a Titanic/Titanique novice I have heard about. Kat Romney gives a stunning performance as Rose and I was absolutely entranced by her comedy and ability to communicate with and use the audience to her benefit throughout the show. Charlotte Wakefield showcases fabulous vocals as Molly Brown and contributes to an absolutely laugh-out-loud moment with Kat Romney, Lauren Drew and an aubergine (you’ll have to see the show to find out more!). Last but certainly not least was Layton Williams as The Seamen and The Iceberg. Layton Williams is a true talent and I will always say this, his ability to combine performance and showcasing talent is always brilliant to watch and this show was no different. His solo as The Iceberg showcased not only his fabulous voice but also his acting skills and of course, his dance ability which is time and time again proven to be truly remarkable.

I could happily watch this whole show on loop due to the cast's insane ability to captivate and deliver stand-out performances that are not lost amidst the comedy of the show. As I said before, this show is certainly one to catch whilst it’s docked at the Criterion and I hope to be able to return soon!

Content Warnings:

The show has content warnings clearly displayed around the foyer and throughout the theatre, which were as follows:

This performance contains:

Flashing Lights and Haze throughout the performance
Sexual Innuendo
Adult Humour and Language

I did not make note of any other moments that I felt should be mentioned, however, I want to emphasise that based on my experience of this show, the 14+ age rating should be followed as this is most definitely a show for an older audience.

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer