This is our review of Titanic The Musical at Liverpool‘s Empire Theatre!
Synopsis Of Titanic The Musical
The year is 1912, and the Titanic ship is sailing on its maiden voyage. As you may imagine, it’s all smiles and sunshine, with song and dance to commemorate the occasion. And why not? The Titanic is a true wonder, a form of transport that outclasses anything else, a truly unsinkable ship. Or so was the promise. Because the desire to create a legend would end up succeeding, albeit for the wrong reasons.
Indeed, as passengers enjoy their trip to New York, the early warning signs come in. The ship is going too fast, we hear. Concerns are raised and ignored about the horsepower of this ship. Crucially, though, suggestions of an iceberg are dismissed as pure folly. That is, until the ship suddenly heads on course to hit the iceberg, said to be as large as the Rock Of Gibraltar. Attempts to avoid the danger come too late. And from there, it’s not a case of “can they survive”, but how many lives can they save.
Analysis Of Titanic The Musical
Given the city’s links to the Titanic, Liverpool is an ideal location to watch this show. And what a show it is. The interior setting of the ship is authentic, with dramatic lighting effects to indicate the change in circumstances. Staging effects were at times spectacular, particularly during the final third. Furthermore, the acting and singing performances from this large and varied cast are splendid. They add an extra sense of gravitas to the production, not least due to the plight of the characters.
And it’s the tale of a dream excursion-turned-tragedy that makes this show unmissable. As alluded to, the desire was to create a “legend” with the Titanic for positive reasons. But the weight of the name “Titanic” sometimes overshadows the huge loss of life from the sinking ship. Indeed, 1,517 people lost their lives from the events of April 15 1912. The listing of the names of every single one of the victims is moving, and a powerful way to end the show.
Summary Of Titanic The Musical
In some ways, this is a show of two halves. It’s a triumph of then-modern engineering up until disaster strikes. And from there, it’s an emotional experience watching the fate of those with literally no hope of survival play out. With the Titanic back in the news recently, this show is essential viewing in understanding what truly happened in 1912. And no matter how much time passes, the sinking of the Titanic will remain a historic human tragedy. So, Titanic The Musical is a must-see production.
