Review: Titanique, at the Criterion Theatre, London

Isn't it nice to be back in London; and not to go there and back in a mammoth day like last time. This time, I got to spend a few days catching up on some shows which I haven't had the opportunity to see yet. And as you'll see, while they're all musicals, we have quite a bit of variety. And I needed to start it off right: 
So, what do you get if you cross a classic film, a famous diva, and a whole lot of silliness? You get Titanique

Titanique takes the idea from the classic 90s film, but then asks what if Celine Dion didn't just sing the theme song to the film, but was also on "The Ship of Dreams" herself? And then a whole load of chaos ensues, backed by some of Celine's biggest hits (plus a couple of hits). It has quite literally taken the world by storm, from New York to Paris, and then London. 

The West End production opened in 2024 and won two Oliviers last year. It has now started a Broadway run, which creator Marla Mindelle described as a "victory lap"; it also features Layton Williams (Everybody's Talking About Jamie) in his Broadway debut, repising his Olivier winning performance as The Seaman/The Iceberg (BITCH!). The other Olivier win it got was Best Entertainment/Comedy Play. 

If you're thinking, "This sounds stupid" - yeah, it does. And it absolutely is

Titanic is not a film that I have actually seen all the way through (please don't kill me). I have only seen bits and pieces, but of course know all the famous bits. So I want to reassure all who may not be familiar with the original film that you will still definitely enjoy Titanique. 

There are many a character trope from many a film, not just Titanic, that you may recognise: the ingenue, the goofy sidekick, the idiot captain, the ruthless (haha) mother etc etc. The characters may lean into these stereotypes, but that's part of what makes Titanique so stupidly funny. 

I should also mention that this is definitely not for kids - there is many a naughty joke aboard this ship of (wet) dreams

The cast of characters each over-act their characters to the max and milk every moment and line for the all the laughs humanly possible. And the gags come one after the other, whether visually or verbally, with laughs right behind them. 

Leading the company is Astrid Harris as Celine, who is the ultimate diva, maximising every single moment she manages to hog the spotlight. Vocally as well, she was outstanding, and possibly the vocal highlight, as well as Ryan Carter's scene-stealing turn as The Seaman/The Iceberg (BITCH!). 

While the hilarious Carl Mullaney is usually playing Ruth, I managed to see the show's guest star Tom Allen's turn as Rose's mother, while Mullaney is on holiday. Can Allen sing....? Errr, not really. But does he deliver one savage line after another, ranting from one thing to another, and bring as many laughs as everyone else in the cast? So many that the audience need stiches after his monologue? Absolutely yes! 

His professional theatrical debut reminded me of Jack McBrayer's performance as Ogie in Waitress - exceptional and hilarious in a different way. It will be interesting to see if he gains any further credits on stage soon. I hope so. He ends his role on 12th April, and then Mullaney will return - I have heard that he too is fabulous. 

In terms of the company, I want to highlight a few covers we had on that night

Madison Swan was on for Unsinkable Molly Brown, belting out All By Myself as if it was Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. David Ouch brought so much silliness as Victor Garber/Luigi, and Caitlin Tipping had such a presence as one of Celine's backing vocalists. I am looking forward to seeing her (along with Luke Bayer (RENT) who played Jack) as Sharpay in High School Musical at Lowry this summer). 

If you want something to take you away from every depressing thing happening in the world right now, and instead want to laugh at something silly, then I cannot recommend Titanique enough

Titanique was the perfect start to my time away, to kick it off after a long train journey. It's perfect with a group of mates and a bottle of prosecco yes, but it is just as cathartic for a solo visit. As well as myself, the lady next to me was watching the show solo, to pass the time while her husband was at a formal dinner - she thought she got the better end of the deal. I couldn't agree more. 

Sadly, there is no cast album available yet of Titanique, but with it opening on Broadway during the last couple of days, that will hopefully change, likely with that cast in particular. However, if you need any further persuasion, their performance from The Big Night of Musicals last year is a great place to start.