MUSICAL THEATRE

“Titanic – the Musical”

ANU Arts Centre, until May 5.

Reviewed by Bill Stephens.

IT was always going to be a night to remember. Many of the audience wore period costumes to salute the initiative of Supa Productions in presenting its second production of the musical “Titanic” exactly 100 years to the day from the actual sinking, and were rewarded with a magnificent ensemble performance, which had them cheering.

Director Garrick Smith has assembled a huge cast of Canberra’s finest music theatre performers, taken advantage of the larger stage and included impressive multimedia effects to add fascinating detail to the events happening above and below the decks.

Fine performances abound especially from Peter Dark, the owner; Dave Evans, the builder and Max Gambale, the captain.

Maury Yeston has gifted this show with a gorgeously atmospheric score and among the many pleasures of this production is just how well this challenging score is sung by the cast, and played by the excellent orchestra assembled and conducted by Rose Shorney.

Particularly memorable musical highlights include Pete Ricardo and Simon Stone’s luminous duet “The Proposal/The Night Was Alive”, Emma White and Brian Daly with “I Have Danced” and Sarah Golding, Kate Brand and Rebecca Franks with “Lady’s Maid”.

Clever set design, beautiful costumes and neatly appropriate choreography all add lustre to beautifully-paced production, which falters only in the second half when a series of static scenes, played out on a sloping gangplank on one side of the stage, interrupts the sweep of an otherwise extraordinarily accomplished production.