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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 8, 2016 19:48:54 GMT
With Painkiller just started, with the excellent Rob Brydon, who also does the not so good P&O adverts "This is the life".
I am aware cruises do night time entertainment with theatre in the mix so just curious what shows they put on and the quality of theatre?
Have to say though as much as I am curious, cruises aren't my thing.
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Post by 49thand8th on Mar 8, 2016 19:52:49 GMT
The last cruise I went on was in 2005 (Princess cruises - Australia/NZ), but the talent was impressive -- a lot of people pay their dues on cruise ships before or after gigs on Broadway or in the West End. I saw one of those musical theatre revues that are inherently cheesy, but the performers themselves were excellent.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2016 20:12:40 GMT
Ruthie Henshall was on a cruise I did last year. She was outstanding, singing with the resident orchestra but bringing along her own MD. I arranged to meet her after the show, and she was just charming!
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Post by djdan14 on Mar 8, 2016 20:52:16 GMT
I'm cruising with Royal Caribbean in September and a new Production of Grease is on board and a new musical based on Christopher Columbus.
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Post by n1david on Mar 8, 2016 21:05:32 GMT
I know that Daniel Boys regularly does engagements on cruise ships between shows - guess it's a nice stable income.
I haven't cruised since the 90s (behave!) but I was very impressed by the shows that were put on on a Celebrity Cruises tour of Alaska.
Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to Bilbao and Silja Line from Stockholm to Tallinn, not so much...
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 8, 2016 21:11:18 GMT
Ruthie Henshall was on a cruise I did last year. She was outstanding, singing with the resident orchestra but bringing along her own MD. I arranged to meet her after the show, and she was just charming! How lovely! Who's next on your list, Jane McDonald?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2016 22:04:56 GMT
Ruthie Henshall was on a cruise I did last year. She was outstanding, singing with the resident orchestra but bringing along her own MD. I arranged to meet her after the show, and she was just charming! How lovely! Who's next on your list, Jane McDonald? But even Jane has all her own teeth... (And can hold a note.) Now Glenn on the other hand...
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Post by Deleted on Mar 8, 2016 22:42:44 GMT
My parents have been on several cruises with a couple of different companies since they both retired a few years ago. The quality of the speakers, musicians and other performers is probably best described as 'variable', but on the whole my parents' opinion of them seems more positive than negative, and they're generally a pretty difficult pair to impress!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2016 8:51:48 GMT
We went on our first cruise in November last year with P&O. Daniel Boys was on and was excellent. Another group called four tunes, with 4 west end guys also did two nights and were very good. However then on all the other nights in the auditorium it was the ships entertainment team, which the only way i could describe it was a Highs chool B-Tec in performing arts revue.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 10, 2016 20:55:22 GMT
We went on our first cruise in November last year with P&O. Daniel Boys was on and was excellent. Another group called four tunes, with 4 west end guys also did two nights and were very good. However then on all the other nights in the auditorium it was the ships entertainment team, which the only way i could describe it was a Highs chool B-Tec in performing arts revue. Just watched The Cruise on ITV. I see what you mean!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2016 21:18:46 GMT
We went on our first cruise in November last year with P&O. Daniel Boys was on and was excellent. Another group called four tunes, with 4 west end guys also did two nights and were very good. However then on all the other nights in the auditorium it was the ships entertainment team, which the only way i could describe it was a Highs chool B-Tec in performing arts revue. Just watched The Cruise on ITV. I see what you mean! I just caught that too... Was about to nominate a new Cute Chorus Boy when I realized he was the new bloke who repaired the boilers! (Don't you just love the Dance Mistress? Like a Young Mme Giry...)
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 10, 2016 23:43:38 GMT
Just watched The Cruise on ITV. I see what you mean! I just caught that too... Was about to nominate a new Cute Chorus Boy when I realized he was the new bloke who repaired the boilers! ( Don't you just love the Dance Mistress? Like a Young Mme Giry...) No, I thought she was dreadful.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2016 9:11:18 GMT
Just watched The Cruise on ITV. I see what you mean! I just caught that too... Was about to nominate a new Cute Chorus Boy when I realized he was the new bloke who repaired the boilers! (Don't you just love the Dance Mistress? Like a Young Mme Giry...) I am tempted to book on this cruise and purposely break the shower in my room ;-)
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 11, 2016 10:33:14 GMT
I dont think you'd get the Chief Engineer coming to sort your pipes out even if you asked for the Top Man
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2016 23:14:44 GMT
I've been on gay cruises around the Caribbean and they always attract big names. I've seen Patti LuPone, Chita Rivera, Jennifer Hudson. I suppose its for a specific (meat) market that like their Broadway Divas!
They fly in, perform a few shows, spend the next day on board and fly out again. Nice work if you can get it!
This year the new ship has a 1600 seat theatre and has a full production of 'We Will Rock You' on.
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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 22, 2016 1:09:53 GMT
So Gay Cruise and We Will Rock You = so definitely there will be meat?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2016 11:08:12 GMT
I see what you did there I never thougt of myself as a cruise person either but I had the best time on it. Obviously a gay cruise is very different to your typical P&O service, but they are also far more expensive. Do people on regualr cruises still have to dress up for dinner??
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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 22, 2016 17:19:59 GMT
I find cruises outrageously pretentious, where you have to dress to go to dinner, I don't even dress to go to the theatre, so why would I dress for the theatre! I don't like the way how everything is organised, where you are off the boat at 9am and 'herded' back on the boat by 6pm. Where you get searched for alcohol before you get on, so that they can sell you inflated priced liquor, which they buy at duty free prizes and once inside you're hassled to spurned money like on the lottery or photo done with the captain. All a bit like a human zoo for me. Not for me, I guess I am one that will never sit at the captains table.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2016 22:42:44 GMT
How often do you get real musicals on cruises? Is it mostly cabarets and solo performers or do cruises often have real musicals on?
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Post by DuchessConstance on Aug 28, 2016 23:53:52 GMT
I'd love to go on a cruise, but they're so expensive!
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Post by viserys on Aug 29, 2016 7:08:00 GMT
How often do you get real musicals on cruises? Is it mostly cabarets and solo performers or do cruises often have real musicals on? I think it depends on the cruise line. I know that American cruise lines often do proper musicals, IIRC they did Hairspray and Grease and probably several others on the "classic" routes to the Caribbean. I would expect that Disney Cruises will show shortened versions of their famous musicals but someone who knows the American cruise lines can certainly tell you more. Here in Germany, we had one fairly well-known musical composer write a special (shortish) musical for AIDA cruises. I did one cruise with this cruise line where they had quite a fun mix of things that weren't actually musicals but one Abba thing was very clearly inspired by Mamma mia, one 80's rock thing by Rock of Ages and so on. What I remember most was one chap from the company there doing a short "best of Josh Groban" concert and he was really good. Tbh, I don't really want/need to see a real musical on a cruise ship, I really like the newer AIDA vessels that have some sort of theatre in the middle of the ship over two decks (basically creating stalls and a dress circle) but open to everything else. People can stroll in, watch whatever is happening for half an hour or an hour and bugger off again. The older AIDA vessel I've been on had a proper "theatre" with access through doors at the back only, so it was much harder to bugger off in the middle of something dull. Mind you the evening entertainment on that cruise was so mindbogglingly dull that I was rather tucked up in bed by 9pm with a book (yes, I'm that boring). Could consider this if you are looking for entertainment? Ahem. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/lostinshowbiz/2016/aug/25/david-hasselhoff-launches-a-fan-cruise-promising-six-unforgettable-days
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 12:31:55 GMT
I've seen pictures of real theatres aboard cruise ships. Some are the size of the smaller West End theatres like the Criterion and the Apollo. I've also read somewhere about performers having done Legally Blonde and Rock of ages on cruise ships. And I just looked up some stuff and I found cruises that had Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You, Grease etc on. So I guess there are a few cruises that really offer full musicals. I just wonder how many performances a week they do, because obviously they can't play the same show every night as they have a limited potential audience.
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Post by Raven on Aug 30, 2016 13:08:29 GMT
Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) are the two best known cruise liners who usually have big proper musicals onboard. NCL has had Rock of Ages, Legally Blonde and Priscilla. Royal Caribbean have had Cats, Grease, Mamma Mia and We Will Rock You.
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Post by Honoured Guest on Aug 30, 2016 13:14:56 GMT
Perhaps Titanic might transfer to one of these cruise liners?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2016 16:46:56 GMT
Perhaps Titanic might transfer to one of these cruise liners? I was actually just about to say that xD
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Post by djdan14 on Aug 30, 2016 17:06:20 GMT
Coincidentally I set sail from Barcelona with Royal Carribean on their brand new ship on Sunday and can not wait! Got the shows booked already which on the Harmony are Grease, and their own original musical Columbus! Which is billed as spamalot meets something rotten. Excited!
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Post by ptwest on Aug 30, 2016 17:21:47 GMT
I saw Grease on the independence Of The Seas this summer and it was very good for a cruise ships production which basically means it was better than any of the other in house theatre shows but still not that great. Mind you, the behaviour of the audience could fill the bad behaviour thread all by itself! The show was abridged down to 90 minutes and was sort of like a set of highlights rather than the full show.
The other in house shows were basically karaoke, and not that great. Some talented singers and dancers but bizarre ways of telling stories using contemporary ish pop hits is the way forward clearly.
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Post by samjane92 on Aug 30, 2016 18:38:13 GMT
I find cruises outrageously pretentious, where you have to dress to go to dinner, I don't even dress to go to the theatre, so why would I dress for the theatre! I don't like the way how everything is organised, where you are off the boat at 9am and 'herded' back on the boat by 6pm. Where you get searched for alcohol before you get on, so that they can sell you inflated priced liquor, which they buy at duty free prizes and once inside you're hassled to spurned money like on the lottery or photo done with the captain. All a bit like a human zoo for me. Not for me, I guess I am one that will never sit at the captains table. I think it depends which cruise line you go on as to whether the above happens. P&O certainly don't confiscate any alcohol, I have never felt rushed to get back on board after a day in port and it is easy enough to say no thanks to a photographer. I personally enjoy dressing up for the theatre and then taking it to the next level with formal gowns etc on cruises. I can only compare it to something like a big press night where everyone makes the effort, feels very special. Generally on a week long cruise on Cunard/ P&O you have two formal nights (long dresses/ Tuxedo's) and the rest informal which is what I would wear to the theatre. Smart trousers and top/ normal day dresses for the ladies, chinos and shirt type outfits for the men. However other cruise lines do not have this requirement. It is like going to a play then moaning there is no songs in it when people book a cruise with a certain line then complain about having to dress up. When you book it is made clear what to expect. Generally P&O do two musical themed shows on a 2 week cruise, one of the early stuff my fair lady, half a sixpence and another more current with Wicked and the Jersey boys. But every other night is what I would refer to as a 'proper show' with an orchestra, singing and dancing. The alternate nights have cabaret acts like the Barricade boys, magicians, comedians and performers like Daniel Boys. I would say around half of the on board theatre company are good enough for the west end. Not a professional opinion just from someone who loves the theatre. Often performers do end up in the west end if you look closely at most programs. I believe Cunard run a similar program with 'speciality acts' like Ruthie being listed on their website beforehand. Theatre in general is also becoming more popular for full shows to be put on with Royal Caribbean as mentioned above. For me the theatre onboard is one of the reasons why I cruise. Waking up somewhere different every day, stay in a nice room every night without carrying your cases between cities, nice evening atmosphere, good shows and fantastic food. It may not be for everyone but neither is the theatre. If anybody knows of other acts like Daniel Boys that publish tour dates including cruise ships on their website I would be very interested. I know the producers of the Barricade boys have released details of a number of similar acts to cover a number of shows so it will be interesting to see if I have any on my upcoming cruises.
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Post by Jan on Aug 31, 2016 10:46:12 GMT
I find cruises outrageously pretentious, where you have to dress to go to dinner, I don't even dress to go to the theatre, so why would I dress for the theatre! I don't like the way how everything is organised, where you are off the boat at 9am and 'herded' back on the boat by 6pm. Where you get searched for alcohol before you get on, so that they can sell you inflated priced liquor, which they buy at duty free prizes and once inside you're hassled to spurned money like on the lottery or photo done with the captain. All a bit like a human zoo for me. Not for me, I guess I am one that will never sit at the captains table. Have you ever been on one ?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2016 11:06:21 GMT
My parents went on a cruise. I was a bit disappointed when they got back and showed me the timetable of events that they hadn't watched Mad Max: Fury Road five times in a single day, nor had they gone to the fruit carving demonstration. What a waste of a lifelong dream of theirs.
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