🚢 EXCLUSIVE CHAT: Marney McQueen (Celine Dion - Titanique)

The incredible Marney McQueen who plays Celine Dion in Titanique joined Jonesy & Amanda for a hilarious chat!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
And Amanda Jamn. I'm thrilled for our next guest. A
few weeks ago, the entire team and I minus Brendan
Jones of On Other Plans, Ryan was there. We went
to see Titanic the musical. I don't think I've ever
laughed so hard. It is so bonkers, it's so funny,
it's so camp, it's so musically great, and the story
is told from Celendion's perspective. She for some reason, is

(00:22):
on board the Titanic. So who better to get on
to talk about this than Marnie McQueen, who plays celendi
on herself.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Maney Hi, Hello, Amanda, Hi Jonesy. So great to be here.
Thank you.

Speaker 3 (00:34):
Selene Dion.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
She's a little bit kookie, isn't.

Speaker 4 (00:36):
She She's very kooky. She's an incredible entertainer. She is
so dedicated to making sure that her audience get bang
for their buck, like she gives everything to her performances.
And I have absolutely loved delving into the world of
Selene Dion. Over the past couple of months that we've
been doing this show, and also in the lead up

(00:57):
to performing as Selene Dion eight shows a week, I
have just fallen more.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
In love with Selene Dion than.

Speaker 4 (01:05):
Ever before because of firstly, yes, all of her kookie mannerisms,
but also I've been able to see just how much
she has dedicated her lifetime to entertaining people.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Your Selene is slightly unhinged, slightly very described the show.

Speaker 4 (01:24):
Look, the show, the show. What I love about this
show is that it was created during sort of a
dark period in American history four years ago. Yes, and
these three creative people got together and said, we need
to create a show that is just pure joy. And

(01:47):
so that is what it is. It was created by friends.
It wasn't.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
You know.

Speaker 4 (01:53):
They weren't just given money. They weren't commissioned to make
the show. They're going to give it, no limitations or restrictions.
They were just wanting to make each other laugh and
create a piece that just made an audience laugh for
ninety minutes.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
And that's what they did.

Speaker 3 (02:04):
It's a kooky premise, though. So Selene Dion is on
the ship.

Speaker 4 (02:09):
Yes, So Celen Dion bursts into a Titanic museum tour
and she says, no, this is not how I remembered
the story of Tetanique. And she then goes to tell
a story about what actually happened on board the Titanic,
and that she was on board the Titanic, so she

(02:32):
knows everything that went down. And of course then we
filter her retelling of the story with all these incredible
Celendion hit songs.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
So and am I giving too much away to say
that the iceberg is a giant black man playing Tina Turner.
It is hilarious, but musically spot on. Musically it's a
great night as well.

Speaker 4 (02:56):
Yeah, yeah, Well, the team have worked very hard to
create incredible arrangements and to you know, work the famous
Selenity On songs in with the dialogue of the show
and the story, and it's all so so funny. It's
so brilliantly crafted. And I think that's what people love

(03:17):
is just there's never a dull moment. It moves from
one funny thing straight into the next, and.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
Which is why people go and see it more than once,
because you can miss something the first time around. It's
so layered, the something happening every second.

Speaker 4 (03:29):
Yeah, That's what I really love about doing this show
is afterwards so many people say, oh, we loved it
so much, We're going to come back and see it again,
and regular people, you know, not musical theater fanatics are
coming back to see the show just like you.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
People are coming back like a third and fourth time.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
And there's a bar in the theater.

Speaker 2 (03:48):
You encourage people to just get on it. Absolutely what's
not to love about that?

Speaker 1 (03:52):
Yes? Are we allowed to ask you at this time
of the day to give us a burst of Selene?

Speaker 2 (03:58):
Well, I haven't warmed up, so I'm.

Speaker 3 (04:04):
What are you doing?

Speaker 4 (04:07):
No?

Speaker 2 (04:07):
I think maybe you can come to see the show fair.

Speaker 3 (04:10):
Enough, got to warm up your instruments.

Speaker 1 (04:14):
You are so great, I mean, everything about this show
is just brilliant.

Speaker 3 (04:18):
Does is Selene Dionne aware of this? Does she know
of this show?

Speaker 2 (04:21):
I believe so. Yes.

Speaker 3 (04:22):
Imagine if she was in the audience one night.

Speaker 2 (04:24):
I know, wouldn't that be brilliant? Well, that'd be scarier.

Speaker 4 (04:28):
A matter of time before she sees it, because there
is a production in New York that's been running for
almost three years. We were the first international production to
open up with a local Sydney cast. It's about to
open in London. It just opened in Toronto, and I
think it's probably only a matter of time before Celine
dion goes to see the show. Herself and people have

(04:49):
been to see it though, and they love it.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
Oh okay, yeah people.

Speaker 1 (04:52):
And it's had a longer run than you expected. You
sort of weren't sure what to expect, and it's just
been extended and extended and extended.

Speaker 3 (04:58):
Yes. Good.

Speaker 4 (04:58):
The ticket sales are going extremely well, so yeah, I
think we'll be here for a bit longer.

Speaker 3 (05:03):
And it keeps you off the streets, stop from tagging trains,
which were usually.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
Just yeah, really into that.

Speaker 3 (05:11):
We miss Elmani on the Sydney train network. Titanic is
playing at the Grand Electric. It's such a great spot.
Book at Titanic Musical dot com dot au money. Thank
you for joining us.

Speaker 2 (05:24):
Pleasure absolutely along again see you then. Can't wait to
see your smiley face in the audience.