FABULOUS CREW SHOW

Wednesday PM, 20 Feb 08, MS Nordnorge, south end of Drake Passage

FABULOUS CREW SHOW

I knew they’d dance the Tinikling,
But I really had no inkling
That the folks who serve us lunch
Are such a talented bunch
With such a fabulous show to bring.

The real show stopper, the act that everyone loved best, was a fellow who came out as half man (one side of him) and half woman (the other side) -- in terms of facial makeup, hair style, shoes -- and clothing and sang for us. This person really looked like a woman or a man according to which side of him was facing you at the moment. And he sung in such a way that, I swear, he sounded like a woman or like a man depending on which side he presented to you. Great singer too. Fantastic performance!

It was a splendid show. It lasted about an hour and forty minutes. There were about a dozen acts. There were a lot of participants. They were mostly Filipinos. But there were also two female Caucasian lecturers who did a fascinating little skit together, two Caucasian crew member guitarists, and, would you believe, our seemingly very shy Captain Hansen playing a keyboard instrument for some of the numbers.

A Filipino lady singer, the two guitars, and the captain with his keyboard held forth for a long while both at the beginning and the end of the show. She encouraged and achieved sing-alongs. But I can’t sing, and both Helen and I are pretty well out of it on today’s popular music.

In addition to the one-person-with-two-genders act and the Tinikling dance, other popular numbers were (1) eight men first in robes and then in shorts and bras doing a dance program, some of it to YMCA, (2) four lady dancers (two of them actually men) doing a YMCA dance (I am at least familiar with YMCA), (3) a superb male juggler-as-bartender act, (4) a fellow who first did a sort of belly dance (not the Arabic kind) and then a marvelous act rapidly slicing pineapples by working only from the ends, and (5) a Filipino dance by six women with kerchiefs. There were also a dance act by four Filipino couples; a male singer accompanied by two Filipino guitarists; and a lone male performer who told two jokes and sang a Sinatra song.

It was all done on a very small stage in a big room packed with people out into the hallway (probably every tourist on the ship). Helen had come very early, and we sat right on the very front row.


We’re heading out into the Drake Passage. I’m sure the Drake gets A LOT rougher than this. But there are some pretty good waves, swells, and white caps out there, and we’re rocking around quit a bit front-to-back and side-to-side, and feeling some bumping and shaking too.

:-)

Bernie