Thom Southerland‘s masterful, precise direction means that you are never overwhelmed by such a large cast of characters, with scenes transitioning effortlessly between the classes and levels within the ship. For those who have never seen Titanic The Musical before, it may come as a surprise that there is no lead character. Maury Yeston’s demanding score requires everyone in the company to be on their A-game vocally. From solos, duets, quartets and huge ensemble numbers, to a person, the 25-strong cast are musically breathtaking.
The idea of making a musical out of the tragic events that occurred on the 14 and 15 April, 1912 might give rise to some incredulity but rest assured there is nothing cheesy or mawkish about this score. There is more than a little English choral influence to Yeston’s score. Shades of Vaughan Williams and Britten infuse the American composer’s work here. While it may not be the kind of musical you’ll go home humming the show tunes, there is no denying the absolute thrill of hearing this impressive cast perform stirring anthems as Godspeed Titanic or the increasingly nightmarish No Moon.