Titanique
Titanique is a quirky yet strikingly witty musical that cleverly parodies the beloved 1997 film Titanic. The musical presents the iconic story through the perspective of Céline Dion. The musical unfolds as Dion narrates the gripping and nonsensical tale of the tragic night the Titanic sank. With exceptional humor, comic drama, and sensational singing, "Titanique" invites audiences to experience this historical event, celebrating the power of love and music that transcends tragedies. Built on a parody-musical playbook by Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli, and Tye Blue, who directed this production and added a scene from his RuPaul’s Drag Race, which had the audience, which was filled with drag queens due to its celebration of queer culture, connecting with the LGBTQ community, roaring with joy. The bizarre premise is that legendary singer Céline Dion was aboard the Titanic in 1912. She pops up in a Titanic museum while people walk and learn about the story of the demise of the unsinkable ship called the Titanic to tell them the real story and how she was there, even though that would make her around 113 years old and most likely dead. Clare Kennedy McLaughlin delivers a remarkable performance as Céline Dion, showcasing a dazzling vocal ability that captivates Dion's pompous persona and a slight Dion battle with a rare neurological disorder. As the narrator, she provides a uniquely different glimpse into Céline Dion's world, keeping the play engaging and humorous while interacting with the audience and stealing the limelight at every opportunity. The casting of outlandish and skillfully talented characters features Adam Fane, Maya Rowe, Jackson Evans, Rob Lindley, Adrian Agular, the phenomenal vocals of Abby C Smith, and performing the night we saw Titanique was Eric A. Lewis as the Seaman and Tina Turner as the Iceberg. Lewis, a remarkable vocalist and talent, had better legs than any of those in Tina Turner’s musical productions, and he sings a better Tina. He might never be a background vocalist in this production anymore, and he shouldn’t. The star of this production is Rob Lindley as Rose’s mother, Ruth. Lindley's performance was excellent, and hands down, one of the most naturally funny actors I’ve seen on stage. As much as I tried not to laugh and show any emotions while reviewing a play, Lindley's performance had me laughing even now.
At first, I wasn’t sold on Titanique, beginning with Céline Dion sharing her narrative of what happened on the Titanic. It was slow and uninteresting, and I felt it would be a long 90 minutes. But with every riff, joke, and pop-culture song and reference, along with the outstanding chemistry of the cast, you will hysterically be in full-mode laughter at their well-crafted buffoonery and sarcastic puns while providing superior performances with amazing vocals to match, making this play a titanic success. Once again, I have to mention how much I enjoyed the fantastic singing of the songs "My Heart Will Go On, All By Myself, To Love You More, Who Let the Dogs Out, Because You Loved Me, Where Does My Heart Beat Now, and River Deep, Mountain High" in the musical production, which was backed by a live band— adding some musical joy to the 90 minutes of absurdity. The show contains numerous inside gay jokes, and those who do not understand the cultural references may miss the comic satire. For instance, "Lip Sync for Your Life is a competition in which two queens perform a lip-sync battle. The goal is to see who stays in the competition and who gets eliminated. This challenge became well-known from the reality show "RuPaul's Drag Race." The production enhances the play by referencing current political issues and pop culture. Notably, it includes a line of criticism against Sean Combs, also known as Diddy, highlighting its relevance to today's audience.
The conclusion must mirror the absurdity of the entire production, diverging drastically from the film's tragic finale in which most characters, including Jake, meet their demise. Instead, in this fantastical twist, Céline Dion emerges as an unexpected heroine, exerting the power of love combined with her breathtaking singing voice to rescue all the passengers, transforming despair into triumph, ultimately saving lives and leaving the audience in awe and slight disbelief with its metaphysical ending, but in total laughter.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
PORCHLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE
TITANIQUE
Presented in association with Broadway In Chicago
Book by Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli & Tye Blue
Directed by Tye Blue
March 25 - July 13, 2025
Presented in association with Broadway In Chicago
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