An exquisite chamber production of the juggernaut size Broadway musical TITANIC is now playing at the the Charing Cross Theatre.
I couldn't get to the press night of this latest incarnation but I admired it a great deal when I first saw it at the Southwark Playhouse three years ago and the reviews this time around indicate it's every bit as good.
It's the first show created by my friends director, Thom Southerland and producer Danielle Tarento at the Charing Cross Theatre. I've directed more shows there than any other director (I think) from Shakespeare to risqué cabaret to classic and new musicals, so I'm very fond of the place but it's struggled to find an identity in the competitive Off West End market. This new artistic regime looks set to change that by focusing entirely on musical theatre and giving us a chance to experience or revisit great shows which would be uneconomic to stage on a larger scale.
TITANIC is the perfect example. Were this to be produced in a large commercial theatre with over 700 seats and a big stage the scale would probably dictate massive sets, big stars and a similarly huge marketing budget and running costs which couldn't be sustained from ticket sales for this relatively obscure title. By producing this fantastic show on a smaller scale with a terrific non-celebrity cast it allows the production to run in a smaller scale version for a longer time, lessening the financial risk; which means we can enjoy it for less then we'd have to pay on Shaftesbury Avenue.
The smaller scale doesn't mean a production of lesser quality either. Thom Southerland is adept at telling big stories with a bold simple staging which allows any musical to work its magic without unnecessary clutter. Danielle Tarento's genius is to assemble a brilliant creative team and cast to work with him and to ensure everyone is operating at the top of their game. Every costume detail and prop is always perfect and the standard of musicianship is as good as you'll find anywhere.
TITANIC is a vibrant example of the duo at their best. With just a platform and staircases, lit evocatively, and a few pieces of furniture, with a terrific cast of superb actor/singers accompanied by a fabulous little orchestra, the piece really transports you to the world of that tragic ship as it speeds towards disaster on its maiden voyage.
The gorgeous music sweeps you up in the emotion, hope and heartbreak of the doomed passengers and even though you arrive at the theatre already knowing how the Titanic tragedy will end I defy you not to shed a tear when the colourful cast of characters, representing every class of passenger and crew, meet their watery end.
Titanic is the first of four musicals planned by the duo for this venue. Book for TITANIC, nostalgia show RADIO TIMES and epic US history pageant, RAG TIME and you get to see the quirky DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY for free.
That's an absolute bargain and a reason for musical theatre fans to be get very excited.
There have been many stern requests over the last week or so for audiences not to give away the secrets contained within the two part Harry Potter and the Cursed Child production, now premiering at the Palace Theatre.