What’s so funny about a sinking ship? The answer will be obvious now that “pluck — The Titanic Show” has dropped anchor in Washington, arriving (somewhat) direct from success at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
In 2002, violinist Adrian Garrett recruited cellist Sian Kadifachi and violist Jon Regan to become his partners in pandemonium. As soloists, each is a classical virtuoso; as “pluck,” their popular shows blend serious music with utter mayhem in zany romps often described as “Mozart meets the Marx Brothers.”
Speaking from snow-packed London, Kadifachi explained how they make merry with an international tragedy.
“It was a bit of a plunge, so we were initially cautious and didn’t want to be disrespectful,” she says. “Now that we’ve done it a fair amount of times with wonderful response, we feel it’s a tribute to the musicians who played until the end. The show covers stories that nobody knew amidst lots of comedy. All the musicians on board the Titanic were men, but since I’m a woman, I have my own special way of getting on board that involves a bit of fun. We want to send people away with a smile on their face.”
Even as they go through their antics, “pluck” plays with serious intent. The music woven throughout the plot comes predominantly from the White Star Line songbook, some verified by eyewitness reports of that fatal day, while other songs in the show were popular during that period and could have been played.
Kadifachi, like Garrett and Regan, grew up with classical music in the home and was a serious student, graduating from London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Like them, she has an active sense of humor and still regards the video she made with a skateboarding squirrel as one highlight of her career, along with playing in the proms at Royal Albert Hall.
She has performed with both classical ensembles and pop bands, so when the opportunity arose to join friends who share the love of comedy, she could not resist. Their first venture began at the popular Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Bar in London, where the response to their show, “Musical Arson,” was so positive that they took it to the 2003 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. They came away with the Tap Water Award for Cabaret. After their next show, “The Specialists,” was sold-out in Edinburgh, they took it around the world.
Now “pluck” has paired another serene classical performance with physical gyrations and feats guaranteed to generate gales of laughter.
“We want the audience to have a great time and enjoy themselves,” Kadifachi says. “We really like that people of all ages come who wouldn’t ordinarily go to hear classical music. This is a family-friendly show, and we often meet parents who bring their kids studying string instruments to show them what fun it is to play in different settings.”
If you go
“pluck — The Titanic Show”
Where: The Bethesda Theatre
When: Through March 1
Info: $25 to $50; 301-657-7827; bethesdatheatre.com
