Immersive events: stepping on board the R.M.S Titanic
The Greenbank Hotel recently hosted an immersive event in Cornwall like no other. Taking place on Thursday 8th November, the evening quickly became a roaring success! Our full set of photos from the evening can be seen on our Facebook page.
How the night began…
Maids and porters took the ticket-goers’ coats, who were handed boarding passes. The passes included a character of someone who actually boarded the R.M.S. Titanic in 1912. Captain Smith and Thomas Andrews welcomed each guest aboard the unsinkable ship. To start the evening off, guests were offered a glass of fizz and they definitely dressed to impress. Women wore full length gowns (some hand-making their own!), faux-fur coats, headdresses and unique jewellery from the era. Likewise, the men arrived as captains and crew members or wore their finest dinner suits and bow ties.
To begin the evening, real ticket-holders Ethel Garside and William Gilbert offered scenes in the bar, interacting with the guests. The famous Molly Brown handed out song-sheets and asked everyone to sing the famous ‘Bicycle Built For Two’ song from the era.
And the immersive experience didn’t stop there. As string quartet music played in the background, guests enjoyed a decadent three course meal. These dishes were inspired by the meals had on Titanic itself. Head Chef Bobby Southworth also served desserts in his 1912 inspired chef white and hat to match.
That fateful night…
With the fateful night drawing to an end, the sound of cutlery crashing, lights going out to leave just candlelight and staff rushing to find life jackets (provided by The National Maritime Museum in Falmouth), Captain Smith announced “lower the lifeboats!” Women rushed from their tables, separating from the men. Members of the audience were also given cards to participate during scenes, with John Jacob Astor proclaiming “I asked for ice, but this is ridiculous!”, and Benjamin Guggenheim’s famous line: “We dressed up in our best and are prepared to go down as gentlemen.”
The immersive experience finished at 10pm, where guests could then see if they survived this fateful night or not. Local folk band Jonah’s Lift soon lifted their spirits when they started to play in the bar. Guests whirled and twirled the night away and enjoyed themed Titanic cocktails, whilst the band sang songs that featured in Cameron’s popular Titanic film when characters Jack and Rose danced in the lower decks.
will there be similar events in the future?
All members of the Greenbank team dressed for the part, with Managing Director Ben Young also participating, as he welcomed in the guests for the evening ahead:
“It was fantastic to see the team come together for such a unique experience. We’ve all been inspired by the major new exhibition TITANIC STORIES at The National Maritime Museum in Falmouth. We wanted to share the incredible stories through immersive theatre. What better way to do that than in our Water’s Edge restaurant overlooking Falmouth bay? Seeing the success of this immersive event in Cornwall and the participation from everyone involved, we will be sure to host many more such events in the future.”
