An inspired comic musical, also a juke box musical jam-packed with Céline Dion hits, Titanique continues the all too fabulous laugh parade on Broadway in a brightly polished upscaled staging. 

Note: having attended the second Broadway preview performance, this review is more of a general description of the production than a full critique. 

The little-show-that-could, Titanique has grown from a one-night 2017 concert to a world-wide hit, garnering awards such as the 2023 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical and the 2025 Olivier Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play. Now docking on Broadway, Titanique has been boosted with extra wow factor whilst retaining its madcap, camp-o-rama beating heart (of the ocean). 

Having been on board the maiden voyage of the Titanic (no, really), Celine Dion is our host and guide for a giddy recreation of the story, as based upon the megahit 1997 movie Titanic. 

The Broadway season reunites co-authors Marla Mindelle, Constantine Rousouli and Tye Blue, with Mindelle recreating her role as the infinitely glamorous Céline Dion, Rousouli playing aging twink Jack Dawson, and Blue again serving as director. The involvement of these original creators is surely the reason why Titanique retains it cultish off-broadway vibe even now housed at the storied St James Theatre. 

Titanique certainly knows its audience, with abundant innuendo and plenty of references to musical theatre icons, not to mention Drag Race and Queer Eye. At this performance, the much-loved ad lib sequence focused on Matthew Morrison going into the lead role of Just in Time next week, also weaving in outlandish references to Morrison’s Glee co-star Lea Michele, currently starring in Chess.

The upsized staging fills the St James stage with vivid colour thanks to the glossy inbuilt lighting design of Paige Seber. Another new production in the style of Chicago, the set also houses the 18-member orchestra, capably led by music director Geoffrey Ko.

A highlight of the witty work of costume designer Alejo Vietti is the expanded Beauty and the Beast sequence, in which the company joins Rose as Belle and Jack as the Beast dressed in pastiche versions of the supporting characters, whilst Celine and Peabo Bryson croon the romantic duet. 

Having won an Olivier winner as The Seamen / Iceberg on the West End, Layton Williams makes his very welcome Broadway debut in the same role. Deborah Cox brings down the house as the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Unsinkable Molly Brown belts “All By Myself.” Jim Parsons goes full camp in the deliciously subversive role of Ruth, mother of Rose. 

Rounding out the uniformly hilarious cast are Melissa Barrera as Rose, Frankie Grande as Victor Garber, and John Riddle as vain cad Cal Hockley. 

A brisk 100 minutes with no interval, Titanique takes hold and does not let up with the laughs. This is a terrific show to enjoy with friends, especially after a drink or two. 

Titanique was reviewed 7.30pm Friday 27 March 2026 at St James Theatre, New York, where it plays until 12 July 2026. For tickets, click here.

Photos of the curtain calls (by the author):