The story of the RMS Titanic has been told a countless number of times through all forms media. There are twelve recorded films about the sinking of the Titanic, countless documentaries and radio podcasts, including survivor interviews and the Titanic even has her own requiem which was released for the centenary in 2012. However, the legacy of the Titanic is incorporated into the theatre in 1997 Titanic: A New Musical was released. With music composed by lyricist Mary Yueston. The musical ran on Broadway for three years before closing. Since then a number of revival productions have been preformed and toured all around the world. The most recent tour finished in the summer of 2018 after completing a full round of the UK and Europe. But let’s go back to Titanic the Musical and see just how much they got right.
The Story of Catherine McGowan:
Part of the show’s uniqueness is that the plot follows a host different characters, for the most part they were real people traveling on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. One character that the play focuses on is Catherine ‘Kate’ McGowan. In the show McGowan is travelling as a third class passenger and like in the history books, Catherine really did exist. Catherine McGowan was a native to a small Parish in Western Ireland called ‘Addergoole.’ McGowan, alongside thirteen from the tiny Mayo county boarded the Titanic at Queenstown on April 12th, 1912. McGowan most likely would have paid around £9-£16 for her ticket on Titanic. In the musical McGowan is asked if she is traveling alone and her reply is that she is. However, this isn’t true. McGowan was actually traveling with her seventeen-year-old niece Annie Kelly. On the night of the sinking McGowan put her niece into a lifeboat and it was widely presumed that McGowan died in the sinking.
Jim Farrell:
As part of the plot McGowan falls in love with fellow third class passenger Jim Farrell. Farrell did exist. But there is very little written about him in history books. Farrell’s name does appear once in the book The Irish Aboard the Titanic (2009) which was written by Senan Molony. Farrell is also mentioned in Walter Lord's The Night Lives On. As previously mentioned, McGowan was travelling with the Addergoole fourteen. However, Farrell never met McGowan despite the musical portraying them as the star-crossed lovers of the show. The real Jim Farrell had actually stolen the affections of another third-class passenger Kate Gilnagh. But Farrell had helped Gilnagh and two other members of the Addergoole fourteen secure a spot in the lifeboats.
Alice Beane: Real or Fiction?
The characters of Alice and Edgar Beane serve as the comedy duo of the show. Alice is portrayed as second-class woman obsessed with the lives of Titanic’s wealthiest passengers. As part of the show Alice even manages to sneak into the first-class section of the ship. However, there is no record of Alice or her husband Edgar ever existing. In research I managed to find a couple very similar to Alice and Edgar called Ethel and Edward Beane. Ethel and Edward were both second class passengers, like Alice and Edgar and both boarded Titanic in Southampton on April 10th, 1912. In the play Alice and Edgar secure a spot in lifeboat number 9 as Alice exclaims “Edgar Look I’m next to Mrs Astor.”, this is strikingly similar to the fate of Ethel and Edward as both also left in lifeboat number 9. Both Ethel and Edward did survive the sinking just like Alice and Edgar in the musical. It’s never been mentioned if Peter Stone, who the wrote the book for the production based Alice and Edgar off the story of Ethel and Edward but it’s highly likely due to the fact that the fictional couple have the exact same story as the real couple.
Song D’Autumn vs Nearer My God to Thee:
A frequent debate among Titanic enthusiasts, historians and even some survivors what was the last song played by Titanic’s band. Titanic’s Palm Court band had been ordered by the Captain to play on deck whilst the passengers were being loaded into the lifeboats. Many claimed that it was the popular song , Autumn whilst the more modern adaptations support that Nearer My God To Thee was actually the last song played. Titanic the Musical is considered quite a novelty because the last song they use is in fact Autumn. Even to this day there is some debate. However, on the grave of Titanic’s band leader Wallace Henry Hartley, the lyrics and tune of Nearer My God To Thee are inscribed on his grave, the hymn also appears on the grave of a few other Titanic victims too. Similarly the tune also appears on the memorial to Titanic’s musicians, located outside of Andrew’s Park in Southampton, England. Titanic survivor Eva Heart stated in an interview “The one they played was the one they play in Church. Some months after when I was with my Grandmother. I was so frightened I came out of Church; I ran out because I knew the tune so well.” Heart vividly described hearing the tune of Nearer My God To Thee.
In conclusion, Titanic the Musical, like most re-telling of the tragedy of the Titanic does indeed closely and accurately follow the lives of Titanic’s victims and survivors. Although, like other adaptations of the Titanic story does fabricate and edit small bits to fit with the story or genre on a whole Titanic the Musical, whilst not entirely faithful in certainly entertaining.
As always I’ll leave a few external links about Titanic the Musical and various sources I used. Please feel free to ask any questions or get in touch.
Have a titanic week, Millie.
Eva Heart on her experience with the Titanic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD5J43Z9AWI
Edward and Ethel Beane according to Encyclopaedia Titanica: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-survivor/edward-beane.html
Catherine McGowan according to Encyclopaedia Titanica: https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/catherine-mcgowan.html
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