From Off-Broadway to the West End to Broadway, the ship Titanique has traveled a long way. The musical parody of James Cameron’s epic movie Titanic has delighted its audiences so much that it has made the rare transfer to the St. James Theatre.

This story is told through the “eyes” of Celine Dion and her music. Marla Mindelle plays the diva with such charm and talent that she wins the audience over immediately. According to our Dion, the movie version needs another perspective and since she was there on the ship, who better to tell the story. But wait - doesn’t that make her more than 114 years old?

For the duration of the one hour and 40 minutes, the audience is asked to suspend belief as she tells the true story. Dion breaks the fourth wall and talks with the audience as she interacts with the cast. She even enters the action on the ship. When Jack (Constantine Rousouli) and Rose (Melissa Barrera) lean in to kiss, Dion sticks her face in between them.

Dion’s music is all well-done and performed by different characters. We hear many of her most well-known songs including as "Because You Loved Me," "Where Does My Heart Beat Now," "My Heart Will Go On"

The parody is constantly changing with references to the cast members, famous people and even the current political landscape.

Some of the show is downright silly, especially Jim Parsons as Rose’s overbearing mother, Ruth DeWitt Bukater. Rose is engaged to marry the pretentious Cal Hockley (a good John Riddle) When she resists, Parsons, adorned with absurd birds on ‘her’ head like a hat, calls her nasty names. Parsons is far more talented than this role allows him to be.

However, the parody works better with several of the other performers, especially when they get to sing. Deborah Cox as Molly Brown presents a wonderful version of “All By Myself." One of the show-stopping numbers is sung by the “Iceberg” who destroys the ship (Layton Williams as Tina Turner.) Wearing a short sequined mini dress, Williams displays legs any woman in the audience would envy, as he belts out “River Deep, Mountain High.”

The show is campy, with many visual jokes. Cal gives Rose a diamond heart necklace that appears to be about 2 ½ feet long, weighing her down. In some places, Titanique feels a bit amateurish, especially with Frankie Grande playing Luigi, a character from Super Mario Brothers.

Written by Mindelle, director Tye Blue and Rousouli, the show is pleasant, energetic, offers gay humor and will make the audience laugh. Rousouli is a likeable Jack in tight pants who creates childlike drawings of cats. Barrera, as the reluctant ingenee plays well against Riddle and Rousouli.

You need to know James Cameron’s movie and Celine Dion’s music to truly appreciate the show or you will miss some of the humor. Overall, the satire of the movie is lots of fun, especially when Dion ‘reveals’ who she really is and changes the ending. Mindelle does a magnificent job with her accent and over-emoting as Dion, imitating her gestures and expressions and familiar phrases. Close your eyes and you might mistake her for the real thing.

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