The tragic story of RMS Titanic’s fateful maiden voyage in 1912 was made into an award-winning Broadway musical over a quarter of a century ago. Then, in 2013, the production was massively reworked by director Thom Sutherland, who grew up in Walsall. Thom talks to What’s On about his show’s 10th anniversary tour, which sails into Birmingham next month...

Director Thom Southerland would be the first to admit that a musical about RMS Titanic could have gone horribly wrong. Faced with one of history’s most infamous tragedies - in which more than 1,500 people died after the luxury liner hit an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage - the question was how to tell the story in a way which was respectful to the memory of those who perished.
For Thom, the answer was about celebrating the lives of the people on board the ship - paying tribute to their hopes and dreams - rather than focusing on the catastrophe. 
Titanic The Musical had first been produced on Broadway in 1997, but Thom massively reworked the show when he directed it at Southwark Playhouse in 2013. His version, with music & lyrics by Maury Yeston, not only received critical and audience acclaim but this year celebrates its 10th anniversary, next month visiting Birmingham Hippodrome for a second time.
“I think the Titanic story will always be with us,” says Thom. “There’s a fascination with it, the majesty of the legend of Titanic. The success of the musical is that it takes that story and legend of history and makes it a very human story. It makes it a story that we can all associate with, as we all set sail on the journey with the passengers who were brave enough to sail on that maiden voyage more than 100 years ago.
“We honour and remember them, and we celebrate the positive aspects of their lives, how brave and courageous they were, and what we can learn from that fateful night that they encountered. I think by telling a story from as much as we know to be the truth, or to be from factual events - and not to replicate or over-dramatise or simplify it - was the solution.
“In the musical, unlike any other dramatisation of the story, all the people represented on stage are real people. Peter Stone, who wrote the script, chose very different sorts of people, who could all be connected together and had aspects of their lives which I think we can all associate with. 
Whether it’s the Irish immigrants, who are desperate to be free and have a new life across the world in America, or the middle-class aspirational people running away for love, or whether it’s the aristocracy, there’s something for everyone.
“The ship and its people are the stars of our show. We made a very intentional decision when we created this version that we would not turn it into a disaster movie, as that could be in bad taste. And I wanted to bring in the memorial boards and have the names of everybody who lost their lives that night shown on stage. I want us to remember and to celebrate their lives, and at the end of the night that board returns. It’s wonderful to see people go down to the stage at the end and look at that board and the names and take in the human scale of it.”
This connection with the characters means the story remains relevant more than a century after the event.
“We have to tell human stories to reflect on our own stories today. It’s an absorbing piece, but we have to do it carefully. The key thing is to show how unhistorical these stories are, how contemporary they are, and therefore to celebrate and not be overly maudlin about it. We have to celebrate what was so wonderful about their lives and go forward.”
Thom believes the music also helps ensure the show captures the emotion of the stories.
“When you are dealing with such a tragedy, I have learnt that to musicalise it helps to tell those moments of either horror or, actually, optimism, quickly and without words. Maury’s music does it. I remember at the very beginning, when we said we were going to do a musical of the Titanic story, people laughed. It sounded like the worst idea possible, but actually, with music, you’re able to portray such a wide range of emotion. I think Maury’s Titanic music is universal, and I learn, as we continue to tour this production, how really affecting the show is in any language and any culture.
“And there’s also something wildly joyful about Titanic. She was the largest moving object in the world, and the wealth and the glamour and the excitement of the idea of getting to the other side of the world was immense. Actually the disappointment and the upset and the tragedy is only the last bit. The excitement of being on the most luxurious ship in the world is the story.”

The show has toured the UK and played dates in China, Japan, Canada and Germany, but for Thom, who grew up in Walsall, Birmingham Hippodrome remains a special venue. As a child, the shows he would see there with his grandparents provided him with an introduction to the world of theatre.
“My heart is in Birmingham! On the last tour, I was there at the Hippodrome on the first night and the last night, and all the family came as well. It was a special day when we were there because I sat in the front row of the dress circle, where I used to sit with my grandparents when they used to bring me to the pantomime. It was a day that I won’t forget. And again, this time when Titanic comes to the Hippodrome, we’re all coming. Just to sit in that auditorium is special.”
Last autumn Thom took on the position of associate artistic director of MAST and Mayflower Theatre in Southampton. And he’s keen to continue to promote large-scale shows like Titanic visiting different venues.
“I think it’s wonderful that Titanic tours and visits places like the Hippodrome. Titanic is one of those pieces that I think should be seen by as many people as possible locally. It’s on a huge scale with the music and the stage, and I love getting that scale of show touring and visiting venues.”