Writer and Director: Tom Foreman
Fine frocks and panelled dining rooms are usually essential to any portrayal of the tragedy of the Titanic. In this compelling production, however, one man and a bench are all that’s needed to capture the drama and horror of the 1912 sinking.
Charlie Sheepshanks plays brave leading fireman Frederick Barrett, a real survivor of that fateful night, whose team battled to keep the ship’s power on while thousands of passengers fled. Sheepshanks plays all the roles, conjuring new characters with apparent ease – from the chief engineer to a teenage boy, and a variety of rough and ready stokers on his team.
The one-hour, one-act, show is beautifully written by Tom Foreman, who also directs. Poetic images include the ship’s “metallic muscle” and a man with “a temper like a hungry dog”.
A bevy of fascinating facts open the piece as Barrett initially relates his experience to an inquiry and exposes the human cost of keeping Titanic sailing from A to B. So many men constantly shovelling coal into its 162 furnaces or damping them down to slow progress!
A few low-key but wonderful sound effects capture key moments such as when the hull creaks open or water trickles into yet another boiler room and you are left to wonder how on earth Barrett managed to survive.
Boiler Room Six was a well-deserved hit at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024 and is reaching new audiences on its 2026 tour. It was a perfect fit for the intimate Live Theatre setting.
Sheepshanks’ fabulous, energetic performance and Foreman’s wonderful script make for a memorable theatrical outing.
Reviewed on 18 April 2026
The Reviews Hub Star Rating
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9
