Kat Ronney on making her West End debut in 'Titanique'

The Glaswegian actor is currently making waves as Rose in the hilarious Titanique at the Criterion Theatre in the West End.

Kat Ronney is making her West End debut in the Titanic parody musical that she describes as “the gayest thing you’ve ever seen” and she’s having the time of her life. Having experienced a period of crippling stage fright coming out of the pandemic, she says Titanique has banished the nerves and restored her joy in performance. “It really is what everyone needs right now – 100 minutes where we won’t give you the chance to think about anything else. It’s a laugh a second.”

Ronney talks to London Theatre Magazine London Theatre Magazine about her love of Kate Winslet, trading the ice rink for the stage and her aubergine-themed show highlight...

How did you get into theatre?

I actually started out as a figure skater when I was really young – I loved the performance side of it but didn’t enjoy the ice so much. So, I started attending a local stage school – Shona Halford MTDA in East Kilbride. My mum and dad came to see one of the shows when I was about seven and I was singing the finale – I was this teeny little thing with all the confidence in the world! And that was it really – I knew from that moment that there was nothing else for me.

Were you already a fan of the film Titanic before being cast in Titanique?

It’s one of my favourite films – I watch it religiously at least once a year. I think it’s the perfect film.

Does your Rose bear any resemblance to Kate Winslet’s?

I think it does. The whole show is a parody, so we definitely take a lot of inspiration from the film and characters. Kate Winslet is perfect in that film, but I maybe get to be a bit cheekier and more feisty.

Do you know if Céline Dion has seen the show?

Céline hasn’t seen the show, but we know her people have and they love it. Who knows, maybe one day she’ll make her way to London and come and see us. I mean, I would pass away at Céline Dion seeing the show, but for me it’s Kate – if Kate Winslet came, I would go insane!

What’s your favourite moment in the show?

One is definitely “Tell Him” – I get to sing that with Lauren Drew and Charlotte Wakefield, two powerhouse women, and it’s magic. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but let’s just say the number involves an aubergine...

Which role would you never get cast in but love to play?

My two dream roles are Tony in West Side Story – in a mainly female, maybe queer production of the story – and St Jimmy in American Idiot because I love punk music, I love that album and I love that show so much.

Book Titanique tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Kat Ronney and cast in Titanique. (Photo courtesy of production)

This article first appeared in the February 2025 issue of London Theatre Magazine.