The iconic cinematic experience of Titanic is back – well sort of. Titanique is a musical parody reuniting Jack, Rose and the Heart of the Ocean in a retelling of what really went down on that fateful night – and it’s all set to the music of Celine Dion, of course.
The production first premiered in 2017 in Los Angeles before moving to off-Broadway five years later. After winning three Lucille Lortel Awards, including Outstanding Musical, the show went on to cult status.
Drew Weston as Jack and Georgina Hopson as Rose in Titanique
The ‘Titanique’ has docked at Sydney’s Grand Electric, with Georgina Hopson as Rose, Keane Sheppard-Fletcher as Cal and Abigail Dixon plays Molly Brown. Theatre hunk Drew Weston takes on the role of Jack Dawson.
“Jack is very much like a cuddly labrador puppy,” says Weston.
“I bring the essence of Jack to the stage and it’s quite heightened. It’s an outrageous role and at one point he’s referred to as an aging twink. That should paint a picture of the show’s direction!”
“At one point Jack’s referred to as an aging twink.”
The production is camped-up, with many pop culture references appealing to the queer community. The show first began gaining popularity in New York through word of mouth, leading it to play larger venues, and where RENT has its Rent Heads, Titanique fans are known as TiStaniques.
Drew Weston as Jack and Georgina Hopson as Rose in Titanique
“I feel lucky because I’ve never played something like this before,” says Weston.
“In certain parts, Jack is quite camp. I’m used to playing the boring guy next door or the manipulative bad guy like Sebastian in Cruel Intentions, so I’m now making use of my comedy chops. RuPaul fans will certainly enjoy some of the references, and the scene where I draw Rose on the bed is hilarious. Let’s just say that Celine may insert herself in there! I was constantly in hysterics all through rehearsals.”
Drew Weston with the cast of Titanique
As a jukebox musical, Celine Dion’s back catalogue provides most of the music with the occasional surprise – Who Let the Dogs Out? Playing the pivotal role of narrator Celine, Marney McQueen, known for Hairspray and Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical, brings the spirit of the Canadian songstress to life.
“Celine is a goddess,” says Weston.
“She’s the ultimate. In this show we pay homage to her brilliance and Marney McQueen absolutely nails it. Marney is perfection and a comic genius – and sounds incredible too. Celine leads with her heart and Marney does the same. Georgina is also incredibly funny as Rose, and it’s ridiculous how great her voice is. In fact, the quality of all the voices in this show is insane.”
Drew Weston as Jack and Georgina Hopson as Rose in Titanique
Although the production is based on the classic 1997 film, the story twist comes from Dion’s perspective as she takes over a Titanic Museum tour. It is then that we are given an account of what really went down with these characters.
“It’s so brilliantly written”, says Weston.
“Our director (and co-author) Tye Blue who did the show on Broadway, told us how people have seen it up to twenty times. One of the main reasons is that every night is different. There’s quite a bit of improv from Celine and others, which constantly changes to keep it fresh.”
Drew Weston as Jack and Georgina Hopson as Rose in Titanique
From the ship to Jack, Rose and the iceberg, there are many memorable moments from the original film, but perhaps none as far-reaching as Celine Dion. Her iconic status is not wasted on the Titanique cast.
“My Heart Will Go On is quite nostalgic and many people will remember how they felt when they first saw the film,” says Weston.
“Seeing Titanic as a child, was one of the first times that I cried in the cinema. Celine hasn’t seen Titanique, but her team are across it and loves it. We have a sign on the wall of our rehearsal room that says WWCD. People usually say What Would Jesus Do? But ours is What Would Celine Do? She leads with her heart on her sleeve. You never see her get angry, she finds humour in everything and is the queen of bold choices. Maybe when the audience leaves, they’ll think about that too!”
For more visit: titaniquemusical.com.au
Follow Drew on Instagram @drewboyweston
Drew Weston Photo credit: Johnny Nicolaidis
