Musical Theatre / Titanique. At The Grand Electric Theatre, Sydney until March 30. Reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.

The inventors of the jukebox musical – a stage or film musical that uses popular songs instead of original music – have much to answer for.

The writers of Titanique, Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and original director, Tye Blue, have played fast and loose with facts for this cleverly conceived concoction, which purports to tell the probably untrue story of what really happened on the Titanic prior to its bingle with an iceberg.

The story is narrated by Celine Dion (Marnie McQueen) who may or may not have been on the Titanic that night, assisted by a cast of characters, who, according to the film, definitely were, and some ring-ins like Tina Turner and Kathy Bates who definitely weren’t.

The result is a gloriously funny, superbly mounted and brilliantly performed example of high-camp silliness guaranteed to uplift the spirits of even the most jaded individual attempting to reconnect with the real world while leaving the theatre with the song My Heart Will Go On still ringing in their ears.

There are plenty more of Dion’s songs threaded through this show, performed by an accomplished cast of 11 singers and actors who achieve polished harmonies and showstopping solos and duets, while revelling in the surfeit of witty double entendres that punctuate the clever script.

In the well-worn tradition of jukebox musicals, Titanique doesn’t confine itself to the repertoire of Celine Dion. A couple of surprises including Who Let the Dogs Out? and another particularly popular Aussie anthem, which must remain nameless because, as Dion confided, the producers don’t have the rights to it yet, find their way into the chaos.

Sydney is the first city outside New York to experience this delightful piece of nonsense, which has been running in New York since 2022 with new productions scheduled to open soon in Toronto, Montreal and London.

The Michael Cassel Group was quick to recognise the potential of the show and have certainly done their Australian production proud. The witty script is supported by excellent production values and a top-flight cast directed and choreographed by Cameron Mitchell.

Marney McQueen centres the show, obviously relishing her role as Celine Dion. Georgina Hopson plays Rose, Drew Weston is Jack, and Matt Lee is Victor Garber.

Stephen Anderson is outrageous as Rose’s mother Ruth, (Yes! That’s right) chewing up the scenery at every opportunity, while Abigail Dixon gives him a run for his money as Molly Brown. Keane Sheppard-Fletcher oozes suave entitlement as Cal, Jack’s creepy rival for the affections of Rose.

Jo-Anne Jackson, Jenni Little and Trent Owers are kept busy providing sweet harmonies as well as impersonating the Titanic’s passengers, miscellaneous necessary others, and icebergs.

Talking of icebergs, another of those is artful scene stealer, Abu, who not only services the passengers as The Seaman, but also contributes a show-stopping turn as Tina Turner.

At the matinee reviewed here, covers Artemis Alfonzetti and Matthew Predny played the young lovers, Rose and Jack, while Tyran Stig played Victor Garber. All were so good as to provide an excellent excuse to revisit the show.

In fact, several surrounding audience members were already on their second or third visit, obviously keen to share their experience with besties. No doubt the discovery of The Grand Electric Theatre, a cute heritage venue tucked away up a narrow lane in Cleveland Street, Sydney, may also have been a compelling attractor.