one4review | On 17, Aug 2024

Written and directed by Tom Foreman, a solo performance by Max Beken tells the true survival story of Titanic stoker Frederick William Barrett, to whom Foreman originally believed himself to be related.

Barrett was a leading fireman working way down in the bowels of the Titanic boiler room and, when we first see him, he is giving evidence to a court of enquiry, describing what life was like in that 50C hell hole. He really brings to life the tough conditions, the hard work, but also the camaraderie and occasional disputes amongst his fellow workers. Barrett also has time to take a struggling, under-age ship hand under his wing. Ultimately, everyone seems to take a certain pride in working on such an amazing ship as the unsinkable Titanic. When the alarm goes off with the order to cut the engines, the sound of the iceberg cutting into the side of the Titanic was like a ‘roar of thunder’, followed, not immediately by panic, but by a ghostly quiet, with reassurances that the ship really is unsinkable. The story of Barrett’s escape is superbly told, particularly his guilt for leaving so many of his fellow colleagues behind – just a sea of hands in the water, but thinking to himself ‘what else could I do?’. Aided by a desire to get back to his estranged wife and by pure good fortune, Barrett ends up being one of the very few from below deck to survive, only to have his unlikely survival questioned in the court of enquiry, after being docked four days’ pay for the lost service.

This is a compelling hour of fringe theatre, a tour de force solo performance by Beken that left the audience captivated and on the edge of their seats. I would strongly recommend catching this before the end of the run.

****

Reviewed by Howard
Greenside @ George Street, Lime Studio
12.40 (55mins)
Until 24th August (not 18th)