Great-grandson of Titanic worker honouring relative’s legacy in acting debut

“I’ve had a bit of an itch for a long time to cross over to the other side of the stage and see what it’s all about,” said Clarke.

It’s not just any production for Clarke however, as he will be performing 10 sold-out shows in ‘Titanic: The Musical.’

The same ship that Clarke’s great-grandfather Patrick Joseph Bradley and roughly 1,500 others lost their lives aboard over a century ago.

Baz Clarke’s great-grandfather Patrick Joseph Bradley (Photo courtesy of Encyclopedia Titanica)

“He was actually a stoker on the Titanic and he perished with the ship,” said Clarke. “We’re not entirely sure whether he’s in one of the graves on the east coast of Canada or whether he just got eaten by the fish.”

Clarke will be playing a stevedore, otherwise known as a docker or dockworker, among other characters.

However, his connection to his stevedore role runs deep as it’s a job both his father and grandfather held in real life.

“To be playing a part that my father, grandfather, and lots of other relatives did for real is quite the honour really,” said Clarke.

Clarke’s connection to the Titanic is something he’s only been coming to terms with over the last few years, finding out about his relation to Bradley in 2017.

In fact, Clarke didn’t tell director Colleen Whidden about his link to the Titanic until after his audition earlier this spring.

“It was just really interesting to know that there were those connections,” said Whidden. “Not that just this was something that happened to a whole bunch of people that we didn’t know, but that one of ours in our community was affected by that day.”

Life on the water is something that stretches throughout the Clarke family, with Baz’s father and uncle both serving in the British Merchant and Royal Navy while also visiting many ports himself in a previous career with the British military.

If that wasn’t enough, Clarke originally hails from Southampton, England, which is famous for being the very same port where the Titanic set sail on her doomed voyage on April 10, 1912.

“It just seems to be fate really, at every turn there was another tie,” said Clarke. “It’s become quite emotional for me.”

That emotion hasn’t fazed the newcomer however, as Whidden said it’s been a delight watching Clarke make the transition from building stages to commanding one.

“I’m excited for the whole cast but especially for Baz, it being his first time that he’s been on stage and in a role that really has a personal connection to him,” she said.

Clarke’s first performance will come on opening night on Friday with the sold-out production of ‘Titanic: The Musical’ running until November 9 at the Medicine Hat Musical Theatre Playhouse.

After generations at sea, the Clarke family’s story will come full-circle when the curtain is raised.

A moment the Titanic descendent can’t wait to arrive.

“It’s just been a fascinating experience and I’m glad I’ve done it… I hope I don’t sink,” said Clarke.

by Scott Roblin

Great-grandson of Titanic worker honouring relative’s legacy in acting debut

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