Titanic the Musical

Titanic the Musical: The show opened on Broadway in 1997 to great acclaim and numerous awards. Maury Yeston, the composer, is unusual in that he writes the lyrics which were from the book by Peter Stone.  His musical career has spanned both the theatre and academia from music theory books to innovative developmental musical theatre.  The chamber version of the original by Don Stephenson, who was one of the original Broadway cast, was the one used with this production.  The more intimate version suited the Maltings and the society extremely well – this was further enhanced with the small orchestra being placed amongst the audience as it might have been on the ship. The programme was interesting and contained many snippets of information about both the show and the cast. The sharing of information about other local productions is to be commended.

The set was relatively simple but the lighting sequences were vital to ensure the correct areas of the stage were lit to create all the various scenes.  In front of the stage were two gangways adjacent to the stage.  These were turned round to different angles at various stages in the show.  The lighting was most effective throughout and the sound well-managed.  The characters were all beautifully dressed and the differentiation between the classes was spot on.  The subtle make-up further enhanced the overall look of the show.

The chamber orchestra of 6 was most apt for performing on the Titanic.  Diana Vivian is to be congratulated for creating such a good balance between band and cast throughout the production.  The sizeable cast created a tremendous sound and the tonal quality was well developed in the wide variety of styles which appeared throughout the score.

Titanic the Musical is not an easy show to bring to the stage particularly as so many people are apt to compare it with the film version.  From the opening number by the ship’s designer, Andrews truly set the tone of the show.  The various aspects of British culture were reflected throughout the show – the mannerisms of the various ‘classes’, the language of the various characters and the well-structured clothing plot all contributed to immersing the audience in the life of the Titanic on that fateful voyage.  Heather Legat directed the show well and successfully drew many of the nuances out of the plot. 

The society is so fortunate to have such a wealth of talent both within the principal line-up and the ensemble.  The energy and intensity of emotion conveyed by the principals was most moving.  Failure to mention individuals is not a criticism but an indication of the all-round quality of both the singing and acting.  The whole company presented a first-class production,

Once again FAOS have truly entertained their audiences in great style.  Wonderful to see such full houses.  Congratulations to all involved.

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