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# REVIEW: Titanique - "outrageously gay"
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/titanique/
- Published: 2025-06-08T10:20:45.000Z
- Updated: 2025-06-28T18:00:42.000Z
- Author: Brian Butler
- Tags: Culture, Theatre

There should be a trigger warning for ***Titanique*** the musical - it’s outrageously gay and leaves little to the fertile imagination.

Co-written by **Marla Mindelle**, **Constantine Rousouli** and **Tye Blue**, and directed by **Tye Blue**, it’s a sure-fire, 5-star romp with a laugh every few seconds and quick-fire one-liners that you have to listen out for.

We open in the **Belfast Titanic Museum** where the multi-talented, and now Olivier Award-winning **Layton Williams** is our camp tour guide.

He’s quickly interrupted by some old stooped bag lady, who instantly reveals herself as mega star Celine Dion - in a brilliant interpretation by understudy **Kristina Walz**. 

Turns out Celine, who of course sang the *Titanic* film theme tune, was on the sinking ship - making her 150 at least - but what the hell this is a musical! And so we step on to the rollercoaster of the show - at our own peril. 

Also turns out the captain is gay, heroine Rose’s mother is a cross-dressing bear, hero Jack is gay when it suits him as is Rose’s vile fiancée Cal. And when Layton doubles as a seaman (with all its double entendre pronunciation jokes) and then he transforms into the iceberg in the shape of first Tina Turner and then RuPaul, your joy is compete.

![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/2025/06/TTQ_London_Full-Company_Credit-Mark-Senior.jpg)

Pic: Mark Senior

It’s just 100 minutes of total craziness, with a small stunning cast that can sing each other off the stage. 

The night I saw it there were two understudies - the second being **Madison Swan** for Molly Brown, as played in the film by Kathy Bates. There’s a lot of crossover with the film as **Darren Bennett** plays the Captain and Titanic’s builder and also plays the actor who played him in the film - Victor Garber. Confused? Get over it. 

The matinee idol lookalike **Rob Houchen** is terrific as Jack - with great comic timing. As Rose - **Kat Ronney** \- stays afloat strapped to a huge door and sings plaintively, Jack is coughing and spluttering in the freezing ocean water - it’s a visually comic knock-out.

Kristina as Celine is just pitch perfect, sharp, witty and interrupting everyone one else’s songs to keep the spotlight.

**Madison Swan** as the unsinkable Molly has one great moment singing *All By Myself* \- worth the price of admission alone.

There is absolutely no weak link in this show. **Stephen Guarino** is a burly, camp, no-nonsense Ruth (Rose’s mother) - brusque, brutal and bitchy.

Both Ronney and Houchen have top notes to die for - though hopefully not in the Atlantic at night. 

Layton Williams is a brilliant Tina and his *River Deep Mountain High* brings the house down.

Can Celine save the day and change history? Go see for yourself. It’s the most fun you’ll have in the West End this year- and look out for Rose’s aubergine.

***Titanique* is playing at London’s Criterion Theatre**