ANOTHER bold choice for Darlington Operatic Society (DOS) in this, the 100th anniversary year of the loss of the “unsinkable” passenger liner on her maiden voyage.

With words and music by Broadway composer Maury Yeston, the piece skilfully avoids any easy descent into slushy sentimentality, ending instead with respect and dignity for the many passengers who did not survive.

As we’ve come to expect from DOS, the ensemble songs are wonderfully executed; the sound they achieve is as good as any I’ve heard on the professional stage.

All the soloists are strong, too, with perhaps special mention for Lee Morris as Henry Etches and Ben Connor as lookout Frederick Fleet.

Ben’s big moment, however, in the pivotal scene where Fleet spots the iceberg and raises the alarm, was undermined last night by a less than effective ship’s bell.

Instead of the urgent clanging that’s called for, poor Ben had to settle for a halfhearted clatter, which put him off a bit. But he’d already given us the beautiful and evocative No Moon, and very good it was, too.

Another highlight is The Blame, in which the Captain, designer Bruce Ismay and shipbuilder Thomas Andrews each tries to shift responsibility for the disaster.

We, the audience, wanted to give the company more wellearned applause, but the finale was played more as a memorial and no curtain calls were taken, which was entirely appropriate to the work.

So very well done to every cast member; it was an ambitious undertaking that was stunningly successful.

• Until Saturday, May 5. Box office: 01325-486555.

Review: Sue Heath