Titanic is a masterpiece - not just a musical masterpiece, but a truly great work of any art. It is the only version of what is usually treated as a traffic accident as a massive failure of the idea of perpetual progress, the idea of the conquest of nature, and a blatant example of hubris. In seeing and hearing it this way, we fell its human heart. That brings the Strausses to the forefront. They emerge as the human center and they earn the 11 o'clock number and the ovation. Also Alice Beane emerges not just as a simple way to introduce some exposition, but as a human being as determined to rise above her station as the three Kate's in steerage. I sobbed throughout. And I realized the show is totally revelant now.
How much the complicated set weakened the show. The rolling tea cart and the Act 1 ending reveal said it all. Brilliantly staged. Acted and Sung.
As I sobbed I realized why it is so relevant: we are all on the Titanic now. |
