Review: THE QUEEN OF THE OCEAN, Savoy Hotel

 

There's currently a lot of competition for immersive theatrical experiences. Events such as Punchdrunk's The Burnt City and Stranger Sings! and The Witches Of Oz at The Vaults, to name a few, display exceptional attention to detail and real flare in making audiences really feel part of the action. Unfortunately, The Queen Of The Ocean acts as a lesson in how not to do immersive theatre on every level.

Histoire Productions' The Queen Of The Ocean, sounds an intriguing evening, immersing the audience in a recreation of the last 24 hours on the Titanic. It promises an 'historically authentic experience', including a meal based upon a menu discovered in the pocket of a first class passenger, actors playing out events around the table and interactive installations.

However, the immersive element seemed to be left entirely to the setting of the beautiful dining room at The Savoy. There was certainly nothing else to look at or engage with. The actors were few in number and seemed to spend most of their time standing at the side of the room. The few 'set pieces' played out on the small stage at the front of the room were impossible to hear fully and appeared awkward and wooden. As for them playing out the events around the tables; we had one actor appear briefly twice. Once to ask if anyone had travelled to New York before and once to reassure us about a bump we may have felt. It felt almost farcical in lack of effort.

To say the promised 'installations' were more remiscent of an under-funded rural museum is an insult to these venues. A few rickety tables were set up at the side and back of the room, with framed information boards, like a hastily-assembled school open evening. A cold water tank chilled to the same temperature as the ocean on the night was a plastic storage box filled with icy water and the visual representation of the proportion of passengers from each class who lived and died used tiny plastic figures glued to a three-tiered cake stand; coloured black for deceased, coloured for survived. It was so terrible, it was almost funny.

The timing of the show was, at times, excruciating. As you ate, the large screens showing a poorly produced digital video of the (empty) ship gradually sinking, flashed up times and statistics, but it was impossible to follow this if you turned to your plate or to speak to your neighbour. Actors playing the captain and a few maids acted out instructions being given to evacuate the first class cabins, as the ship was seen half submerged. The worst part was being served coffee as the ship finally sank and haunting cries and screams were projected across the room.

What was stark was the number of missed opportunities. The story of the last 24 hours on the fated ship is ripe with detail, intrigue and drama, but this event reflected none of these things. Even the musicians, who famously played to the passengers as the ship sank, were missing. A lone, electric piano accompanied the evening, often projecting one single note. I assume this was meant to create a haunting atmosphere, but was, in fact, simply annoying.

At every level, there was no attention of detail: the menu was supposed to be a recreation of the actual food served, but there was no menu on the table, the food and service was poor and there was no information about the events of the night or what was being recreated. More importantly, there is no interaction; no sense of the fear and panic of the event and no sense of the gravity of the occasion. It is a disrespectful tribute to those who died.

Some people left early, the remainder looked glum-faced. At £250 a ticket, with no wine included, I'm surprised there wasn't a riot.

Image Credit: Histoire Productions

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.