Before you read my review, I feel the need to emphasise â I did not stay for the second half of Titanic the musical. I decided it was a complete waste of time because the production was one titanic disappointment. For all I know, the second half may have been wonderful. I doubt it.
The music was unmemorable with bad singing, the stage was unimpressive and the plot was confused and unemotional. If youâre thinking of spending your last pennies on this show, I wouldnât bother.
Theatre Experience đđđđ
I canât comment much on my experience visiting The Lowry because I was almost late and ran straight into the auditorium. The one staff member I encountered was both friendly and helpful, pointing me in the right direction. Later at the interval, when debating whether to leave, I sat in Pier 8 bar which looked very beautiful and would have been a great place to get a drink if I hadnât left in despair.
Plot đ
The first thing to point out is that this is not the same plot as James Cameronâs film, Titanic. This is no powerful love story. In fact, the characters seemed to feel as little love for each other as I felt for this musical.
The plot moved so quickly between different characters and storylines that it lost all emotional impact. Scenes that were clearly meant to be tear-inducing made me cringe instead. At one point an engine-stoker burst into song while sending his sweetheart a message. It had no place in the plot and seemed like a cheap attempt to gain audience empathy for him.
Overall it felt very rushed and was an absolute mess.
Photo Copyright: Scott Rylander
Cast đđ
There was a large cast of actors but even more characters. Most actors played more than one character which further confused the plot. We met a social-climbing second-class lady at the beginning of the musical, to then watch her change coat and reappear as a downtrodden third-class passenger. I have nothing against multi-role-playing but this was chaotic.
The production was plagued with bad accents, hurried lines and poor, over-the-top acting.
Staging đ
(Including Scenery, Props, Costume, Hair & Make Up)
The staging felt like a huge anti-climax. With the topic being the multi-million dollar Titanic, I expected an impressive set. I realise that The Lowry and other UK-touring stages may be smaller than the West End but the set was shabby and boring. A railing formed the upper platform which was accessed by a wheeled ladder. Aside from this ladder, a table and some chairs were the only other main pieces of set.
It's a shame that costume and hair design can do little to save a sinking ship because, by contrast to the rest of the show, they were very good.
The iconic iceberg-strike moment was immensely disappointing â the point at which my hope for the rest of the musical sank.
Photo Copyright: Scott Rylander
Music đ
Usually with musicals I leave fighting ear worms, tapping my feet to the tunes. The soundtrack of Titanic was pre-recorded, choral and unmemorable. The songs were used to tell stories about the charactersâ pasts and dreams for the future. However because they moved from one character to another so quickly I didnât feel that the songs made us care about them more. It all felt very insincere.
Plus, and this is my main point of criticism for the entire show, the actors were not good singers. Solos were shockingly bad on the whole and even the talk-singing style of the group songs felt sloppy.
The Theatre Bee
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