The disappearance of the Titan submersible was a cultural phenomenon that gripped the world for a week in 2023. But for Sophie Smyth her fascination with the OceanGate controversy did not subside like it did for everyone else. Instead, she has decided to share her obsession with the Titan in her show The Subplot: A hyperfixation on the Titan submersible.

The entire situation is astonishing. A string of very rich, well-connected people who were willing to be bolted in the claustrophobic confines of a submersible whose owner boasted about how the company skirted around regulations during the designing process, in order to go to the bottom of the ocean to see the titanic. The ambiguity about the origins of the materials, its association with manufacturing Boeing and a string of experts that said the entire project was blatantly dangerous. Yes, if you are looking for a catastrophe, the Titan odyssey has it all.

Of the many strange things that have happened in the world this decade, the Titan disappearance is one of the most bizarre but also, clearly preventable. It is very understandable why Smyth is captivated about this story. But as much as the tale is almost true crime in nature, it is mesmerising to watch Smyth unfold the many facets of the whole event but in such a unique and personal way. Although not connected to the incident, the way it has affected her has clearly made her feel as if she is a part of the affair, almost as if it was a shared trauma. Perhaps this is why she is unrelenting in her dedication to uncover the truth of the entire situation which, arguably, she puts some investigative journalists to shame. 

She is a wonder to watch and personal anecdotes give the show serious personal depth. Even with moments of audience involvement, she is never shaken from rolling out the essential details. In the end, it is a personal show about Smyth herself and her hyperfixation but it is so much more than that. It is also about the kindness she offers by sharing it with the audience, the effort she has made to dig through the lies and hyperbole to find the legitimate facts of what happened makes the entire performance.