‘Titaníque’ Broadway Evaluation: Downtown Cult Hit Musical is Campy Enjoyable

Oh, Mary, what has Broadway develop into?

You may suppose playful outrageousness is now the norm with this month’s wave of musical openings that take audiences into the acute realms of parody, play and interactivity.

The opening of the cult hit “Titaníque”— the musical spoof of the 1997 Oscar-winning smash “Titanic” — is the newest theatrical proof that one will be silly and sensible on the similar time.

Originating in L.A. in 2017, earlier than docking in NYC in 2022 within the basement of an deserted Gristedes, the present which was developed by a bunch of impressed and nutty buddies, shortly discovered its word-of-mouth following and shortly discovered its technique to bigger downtown venues, then to fashionable runs in different cities right here and overseas.

But the query stays: Will its plucky, no-frills specialness be misplaced with its transfer from theatrical steering to Broadway first-class?

The artistic staff of the present has rigorously navigated this crossing, upgrading the present’s manufacturing values simply sufficient, including a little bit of star attraction (Deborah Cox, Frankie Grande, and particularly Jim Parsons, a deadpan enjoyment of semi-drag) and dialing up the music just a few notches with out going overboard.

The conceit of the something goes present — recalling one other nautical trifle — stays deliciously daft with Marla Mindelle because the French-Canadian diva Céline Dion narrating her personal crazy, self-centered model of the James Cameron’s Romeo-and-Juliet-at-sea romantic tragedy.

Audiences needn’t know the specifics of the movie’s story — or the onslaught of cultural throwaway jokes — to get the narrative gist inside the insanity.

Essentially it’s a non-bio jukebox musical like “Mamma Mia!” however one which’s veered method off the spindle. It primarily faucets into songs from Dion’s music catalogue, with further nonsequitor songs like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Who Let the Dogs Out” that merely come out of nowhere simply because that may. There’s additionally fake visitor appearances by Peabo Bryson, Lenny Kravitz and most magnificently by a Tina Turner (an astonishing Layton Williams) because the fateful bitch iceberg that dooms the vessel and raises the “Titaníque.”

Mindelle — who co-authored the present — is sensational, nailing Dion’s quirky, sly-eyed, “kooky-crazy” persona with assured ease. With a bumpy Quebecois accent, the marginally demented chanteuse slips out and in of the story, tapping into her Vegas-styled, energy ballads and narrating the story of what actually occurred to the movie’s characters on the ocean liner on that fateful 1912 voyage. (Hint: She was there on board, making her round 150 years previous — however who’s counting?)

This manifest consists of Jack Dawson, performed by Constantine Rousouli as an ageing twunk who is aware of easy methods to fill and exhibit his slim-fit khakis. Yet one other of the co-scripters, Rousouli amps up the Leonardo DiCaprio, perfect-hair, aw-shucks boyishness to hysterical humorous heights. His deranged drowning scene is good and completely bonkers.

Many of the movie’s iconic poses, props and dialogue are current and prepared for mockery: there’s the Heart of the Ocean necklace (extra like an anchor right here); the king of the world railing scene, the steamy backseat intercourse and the floating door raft.

As society gal Rose DeWitt Bukater, Melissa Barrera has freewheeling enjoyable with Kate Winslett’s sad bride-to-be character. As Rose’s aristocratic, Grindr-loving fiancé Cal, John Riddle is one lengthy working metrosexual joke, however he also can ship the musical items with a formidable “I Surrender” solo.

But everybody within the present has gorgeous vocal chops, together with Cox because the Molly Brown who makes waves with “All By Myself”; Grande as “Victor Garber,” the ship’s oblivious and idiotic captain who belts out “I Drive All Night” earlier than lastly crashing; and, in fact, Williams who out-divas Dion with “River Deep, Mountain High.” As Rose’s impoverished but imperious mom Ruth, Parson’s dry deliveries provide nice comedian ballast to this ship of fools.

The combined bag of humor right here isn’t a lot biting as nibbling, much less socio-satire and extra “Forbidden Broadway.” The jokes — good, unhealthy and low cost — come continuous in then present’s 90 minutes, and are crammed and generally pummeled with popular culture and brand-name references, puns, anachronistic humor, and naughty bits. (One can solely snigger at so many “seaman” gags.) Every entendre is doubled down and the present has probably the most corn on Broadway since “Shucked.”

But as delivered with confidence and staged with whiplash depth by Tye Blue (yet one more co-scripter), one can virtually be duped into believing the jokes are intelligent as hell. With charisma, uniqueness, nerve and expertise — to borrow RuPaul’s mantra (the lipsynch-for-your-lifeboats quantity is a spotlight) — the comedian ensemble makes the gags work by sheer will.

Advertised as a strictly restricted run, the present’s established and Millennial-friendly fan base needs to be coming again for seconds and the Broadway gig will give cachet to future cruises. Overall, whereas the musical is just not fairly an evening to recollect, let’s simply say the present is, properly, fantastíque.