Imagine if singer Céline Dion had been on the Titanic, had survived the accident and wanted to revisit her version of the events. This is the premise of the musical “Titanic”which premiered on West End of London.
Featuring songs from Dion’s catalogue, the show’s light tone is a break from previous darker accounts of the story of the transatlantic ship that struck an iceberg and sank in 1912.
The play mixes plot elements from the 1997 film version, starring actors Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as lovers Rose and Jack, and other pop culture references.
Tye Blue, who directed and also wrote the musical with actors and writers Constantine Rousouli and Marla Mindelle, describes it as “a joy machine.”
The story is told through the eyes of the character, played by Lauren Drew.
“It’s a love letter to Céline Dion…, a tribute to her, her art and her strength,” said Drew as he left the stage. “It is the complete embodiment of his eccentricity, his madness and his talent. So I love being able to do that every night.”
Blue said that Dion’s team went to see the show after the New York premiere and that “they loved it” and “kind of unofficially gave us their blessing.”
The musical’s score includes tracks like the award-winning hit by , , and Eric Carmen’s “All by Myself,” which Dion released in 1996.
