Recreating the voices of the Titanic (From This is Hampshire)

Recreating the voices of the Titanic

5:30am Monday 5th February 2007

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IT has already led to a Hollywood blockbuster, seen hundreds of valuable mementoes auctioned off and spawned a legion of enthusiasts worldwide.

The sinking of the Titanic, when it hit an iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland during its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, today continues to captivate generations.

Anyone interested in taking part should contact James and Sue through their website www.titanicmusical.co.uk or by e-mailing james@titanicmusical.co.uk giving your name, age and contact telephone number.

Now in the 95th year since 549 men, women and children from Southampton perished among the 1,503 death toll a new lasting legacy to the ill-fated liner is being made.

Two city composers and lyricists are hoping to recruit actors of all ages to take part in an audio storybook CD telling some of the lesser known stories of heroism among passengers and crew.

Together James Holmes, the former head of music at Oaklands Community School in Southampton and Sue Peckham are overseeing the project which is based on their original musical production Titanic - Pride of the White Star.

The pair, who now run the Hampshire Hypnotherapy Centre with practices in Fareham and West End, hope to have the audio storybook completed by April.

They have already recorded professional actors in America and Ireland and are now searching across Hampshire for more performers. James and Sue would like to hear from enthusiastic people of all ages who would like to take part.

Various speaking roles are available including the lead role of master baker on Titanic Charles John Joughin who lived in Leighton Road, Southampton.

James said: "Sue and I have worked really hard to work on something that is based on fact. The Titanic remains so fascinating because it represented a microcosm of society. There is something for everybody."

Sue said: "Every person on the vessel had a story to tell and the Titanic's link with Southampton means that so many people have a connection with it."

Both Sue and James are being supported in their project by Millvina Dean, 94, of Ashurst in the New Forest who is one of three remaining survivors of Titanic.

She was just two months old at the time of the tragedy which killed her father Bertram.