Alice Fishbein is a force of nature in her self-penned  Titanic-themed parody ‘Leo Still Dies in the End’. Portraying  each and every character, she switches seamlessly between them all: wavery-voiced old Rose, cocky Jack Dawson, the evil Caledon and Titanic explorer Brock Lovett. In fact we are promised  that she is willing to portray each of the 2200 passengers aboard!

A self-professed Titanic obsessive since the age of six, Alice spends the hour poking fun at what, in retrospect, was fairly cringe-worthy dialogue and somewhat unbelievable plot twists in the James Cameron’s 1997 epic (there are indeed reasons why Titanic didn’t get an Oscar nomination for best screenplay…). Her analysis is sharp but funny, and in typical New Yorker style she’s direct, witty, and doesn’t pull her punches.

In the first portion of the show a wheel of fortune dictates which scenes are portrayed, so no two performances are the same, and this certainly adds a sprinkle of spontaneity to proceedings. Many of the iconic moments between Rose and Jack are suitably hammed up and interspersed with big dollops of witty asides and some tone deaf singing. The re-enactment of the portrait painting scene is particularly funny, with Fishbein alternating as chaise-longue swooning Rose and wide-eyed, in with a chance, Jack.  There are plenty of laughs before the final hilarious sinking in which Rose/ Alice dispatches Jack to the deep lying on a blue covered sheet.

Fishbein’s sheer enthusiasm, hard work, and energy carries this fast-paced show and her ability to portray many competing characters is testament to the skills she has honed as a well-known improv comic on the New York circuit. Her comic timing is spot on, with hilarious facial expressions, convincing accents, and an ongoing running commentary highlighting the banality and frank absurdity of many of these scenes. With the use of some hilarious props, including her 7th grade gym medal (which  doubles as the famous ‘heart of the ocean’), the audience is taken on a whirlwind tour of this iconic film.

At times Fishbein’s dialogue could be slower, and like the original film this show might benefit from a slightly shorter format. However, these are minor points. You don’t need to be a Titanic afficionado to enjoy this medley of schmaltz, humour, and hilarity.

‘Leo Still Dies at the End‘ is at Gilded Balloon Patter House – Dram until Fri 15 Aug 2025 at 22:00