Tag Archives: Luke Bayer

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“Titanique” at the Criterion Theatre

Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli’s hit show has a new cast. With Olivier Awards on board and booking until January, any scepticism about a show that sends up Celine Dion and the movie Titanic should be swiftly sunk. And, anyway, if you scoff at silliness, this one isn’t really for you – Titanique is one of the most absurd things you can see, and very funny indeed.

Presenting two stories of what happened on board the doomed ocean liner, including reenacting the romance between Jack and Rose from the film, all with songs by Dion is, frankly, a lot. There’s so much scope for jokes that it all feels, er, a little choppy. Blue’s direction enhances the energy and more gags are added that are sometimes tasteless and often rude, encompassing news events, pop culture and, for this UK version of the Broadway show, quite a lot of EastEnders. While some jokes are so old they hum, the sense of surprise is great, with moments where you check yourself at how mad it all is. 

This much foolishness is actually hard work. The musical adaptation of Dion’s hits, by Nicholas James Connell, is smart. And the strong cast makes light work of a demanding routine. While Luke Bayer and Hiba Elchikhe, as Jack and Rose, feature heavily, all get plenty of moments to (over)act including Tosh Wanogho-Maud as a seaman (yes) and Tina Turner-as-an-iceberg (there’s hyphenation I never thought I’d need). Surely, it’s hard to sound this good with your tongue so firmly in your cheek? Let alone all the eyerolls and Ellenore Scott’s choreography. 

The show is buoyed by the performance of Astrid Harris as Dion herself. An exaggeration as much as an impression, she gets laughs at every moment. And the show is neatly coy about Dion’s appeal – she’s made fun of, sometimes a little cruelly. But the acerbic propels the show. And such humour is leaned into by Carl Mullaney, who plays Rose’s mother with a fantastic rant and highly effective slips into a British accent. A lot of Titanique is reminiscent of a (very good) drag act – there are enough references to RuPaul, after all – giving it a neat niche that should keep it afloat for a long time.

Until January 2026

www.london.titaniquemusical.com

Photo by Mark Senior

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“Ushers: The Front of House Musical” at The Other Palace

Director Max Reynolds has a great venue for his tenth anniversary revival of this funny show. With the scenario taking us behind the scenes of a fictional West End hit, downstairs at The Other Palace has a clubby feel that’s perfect for a piece full of insider jokes sure to appeal to a theatre crowd.

We see the romances and dreams of strong characters as they work with confectionary and merchandise, answering the same questions repeatedly, and clean up the audience mess. Two struggle with their relationship, another two fall in love, and a fifth is a fangirl searching for the leading man of her dreams (look out Michael Ball). It’s all tongue in cheek, and sweet, with neat roles for Bethany Amber Perrins (pictured top), Luke Bayer, Christopher Foley, Cleve September and Danielle Rose.

Daniel Page in "Ushers" at The Other Palace
Daniel Page

This is a strong cast, it’s great to have the chance to see them up close, and they all have strong voices and excellent comedy skills. Credit to Reynolds for getting the most out of them and the material. But the star of the show is Daniel Page who brings his pantomime skills to the role of villainous theatre manager Robin. He’s the one behind all the upselling, robbing the punters you might say, obsessed with sales figures and spend per head. It’s a joy to see a performer having so much fun in a role, making every line work and getting so many laughs.

In truth, the cast are funnier than the jokes. In particular, Amber Perrins makes the cooky Rosie hilarious when the character could be annoying. And the singing is better than the songs. While the music by Yiannis Koutsakos is solid enough, his lyrics (also credited to James Oban and James Rottger) are clumsy. Rottger’s book is strangely loose given how clear the structure is. These are problems. But what’s going on has such charm, they matter less than usual.

For full disclosure, I’ve worked front of house myself. I suspect many in the audience, let alone the cast and creatives here, have too. There’s a lot that is recognizable although, cleverly, the show is harsher about the theatre owners than it is about the public (it could be a lot meaner). But all the industry jokes and contemporary references are a hoot. While the show might not have the widest appeal, it knows its audience and serves its customers well. Don’t just see it once, go twice. And buy a t-shirt.

Until 19 May 2024

www.theotherpalace.co.uk