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In praise of... Pirate Bill
Ben
TS Founding Member
Swiftly moving back onto topic a little, and as a side note I dont think we should even be subtly hinting at personally naming specific members of staff - remember we got into bother about this before!
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Pirate Bill is an odd one for me, I quite like the fact he has been a staple of the hotels for such a long time and now there are clearly parents (like me) who saw him as a child and now have their own kids seeing him. I like abit of continuity.
Alas though I do find his magic act, with very sub-par tricks to be boring. Ive cringed on a few times when he was rather sternly told children how to behave.
I realise its to give the show the correct atmosphere but on more than one occasion Ive been glad it wasnt my child he was talking to, and had it been mine I would have made a complaint. Then again mine know how to behave while watching a show, so I suppose its a little of both sides.
I much prefer him as a walk around character, who is one a one-to-one case much more pleasant and fun. Perhaps he could just do the odd trick to passing children while saying hello. I dont want to lose him from the resort, but dont think his act deserves a full show. There could be so much more done.
My biggest bug-bare is the location, on a floor in the centre of the hotel. When the hotels are busy the atrium becomes a nightmare anyway with just not enough space and to take up such a large amount of area its worse.
When Ive been at Christmas they use the Emperor suite and its much better. There is a stage for entertainment, beanbags on the floor for kids and seats for parents who can nip in and out to get drinks. Surely this is how family entertainment at the hotels should be all the time. Not an afterthought on the floor.
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Pirate Bill is an odd one for me, I quite like the fact he has been a staple of the hotels for such a long time and now there are clearly parents (like me) who saw him as a child and now have their own kids seeing him. I like abit of continuity.
Alas though I do find his magic act, with very sub-par tricks to be boring. Ive cringed on a few times when he was rather sternly told children how to behave.
I realise its to give the show the correct atmosphere but on more than one occasion Ive been glad it wasnt my child he was talking to, and had it been mine I would have made a complaint. Then again mine know how to behave while watching a show, so I suppose its a little of both sides.
I much prefer him as a walk around character, who is one a one-to-one case much more pleasant and fun. Perhaps he could just do the odd trick to passing children while saying hello. I dont want to lose him from the resort, but dont think his act deserves a full show. There could be so much more done.
My biggest bug-bare is the location, on a floor in the centre of the hotel. When the hotels are busy the atrium becomes a nightmare anyway with just not enough space and to take up such a large amount of area its worse.
When Ive been at Christmas they use the Emperor suite and its much better. There is a stage for entertainment, beanbags on the floor for kids and seats for parents who can nip in and out to get drinks. Surely this is how family entertainment at the hotels should be all the time. Not an afterthought on the floor.
I remember when the hotel was in its early days and the entertainment was really good. Who was the drag queen they had, he was hilarious. And the singers would always be with the band on the ship.
Now, the band is no more except for peak days during the summer. Usually its just David singing the same songs each night - there seems to be no consideration for people staying more than one night. Dont get me wrong, its not bad entertainment, but.... its not as fantastical as their website makes out is it.
Splash Landings for me is the biggest let down. Party carnival Carribean atmosphere it says - damp squid is what you really get. The bar is totally void of any atmosphere whatsoever. They could do so much more with Splash. Pump in some smells of the Caribbean, sun tan lotion, coconuts, get the party mood going with some steel drums, get the adults up doing things such as having to squeeze under the pole (oh whats it ruddy called, I cant remember now....) without touching the floor, some grass skirt dancing lol, just fun stuff.
Everyone in Splash in the bar usually looks bored out of their heads.
Alton hotel has a far better evening atmosphere, but thats because of the singers. Maybe during the break in the middle they could have a comedian or something. What I also hate is once the singers have finished, the morbid music comes back on in the atrium.
As for Pirate Bill - yeah he is good and makes me laugh sometimes, but like as others have said, its the same stuff every night. What happened to that bird thing that used to stand on the end of the boat and dance? Some more characters in the hotels would be good for the kids.
The problem is however that the hotels are not always busy, and having this sort of entertainment on every night just isnt feasible or cost effective. However, during the weekends of July and August I do think they could make more of an effort. Its not bad - but its not fantastical either.
Just one more small thing while i'm on the subject of evening entertainment, on hot barmy summer weekends, they could turn the grass area by the chess board into an outdoor eating area and have summer BBQ's, with the camp fire going at night.
I guess its just a difficult call for management as to what would work, what wouldnt, and what is do-able within ever tightening budgets.
Now, the band is no more except for peak days during the summer. Usually its just David singing the same songs each night - there seems to be no consideration for people staying more than one night. Dont get me wrong, its not bad entertainment, but.... its not as fantastical as their website makes out is it.
Splash Landings for me is the biggest let down. Party carnival Carribean atmosphere it says - damp squid is what you really get. The bar is totally void of any atmosphere whatsoever. They could do so much more with Splash. Pump in some smells of the Caribbean, sun tan lotion, coconuts, get the party mood going with some steel drums, get the adults up doing things such as having to squeeze under the pole (oh whats it ruddy called, I cant remember now....) without touching the floor, some grass skirt dancing lol, just fun stuff.
Everyone in Splash in the bar usually looks bored out of their heads.
Alton hotel has a far better evening atmosphere, but thats because of the singers. Maybe during the break in the middle they could have a comedian or something. What I also hate is once the singers have finished, the morbid music comes back on in the atrium.
As for Pirate Bill - yeah he is good and makes me laugh sometimes, but like as others have said, its the same stuff every night. What happened to that bird thing that used to stand on the end of the boat and dance? Some more characters in the hotels would be good for the kids.
The problem is however that the hotels are not always busy, and having this sort of entertainment on every night just isnt feasible or cost effective. However, during the weekends of July and August I do think they could make more of an effort. Its not bad - but its not fantastical either.
Just one more small thing while i'm on the subject of evening entertainment, on hot barmy summer weekends, they could turn the grass area by the chess board into an outdoor eating area and have summer BBQ's, with the camp fire going at night.
I guess its just a difficult call for management as to what would work, what wouldnt, and what is do-able within ever tightening budgets.
James
TS Founding Member
GaryH said:
Michael James Batchelor. He was great at Alton. He still acts as Tanya Hyde these days around the UK, he has performed at European holiday resorts over the years too. I watched him in a pub in Salou (where PortAventura is) 2 or 3 years ago and he was as good as ever there. It's a shame he stopped performing at Alton, they lost someone great there!
cybermen39
TS Member
Hi but the first and funniest was Ida Down look her up on utube Alton Towers entertainment parts 1 and 2.
The current pirate show have pinched most of ther jokes from her and if you do watch the utube footage you can see how much funnier Ida delivers the jokes. She used to sing in the Hotel chirpy chirpy cheap cheap were's your mother gone. And she used to sing it as she passed the local childrens home she was so near the knuckle great days and great nights. Much missed
The current pirate show have pinched most of ther jokes from her and if you do watch the utube footage you can see how much funnier Ida delivers the jokes. She used to sing in the Hotel chirpy chirpy cheap cheap were's your mother gone. And she used to sing it as she passed the local childrens home she was so near the knuckle great days and great nights. Much missed
cybermen39
TS Member
Ida Down was very adult the kids did not know half the things she was no about.She used to do a conga with ladys staying there and take them into the mens toilets and shout out don't mind us were to hear to fix your pluming. I'm ranting on but she was so funny. He was called Jamie Geaves and went onto manage the hotel entertainments its him in the channel 5 show they filmed there who was auditioning the singers. He now works in London in a casting company for actors.
Andrew
TS Contributor
I've never had a chance to sit down and watch the pirate shows (whether it be an actual show or just a roaming character) but, from what I've heard, they're quite entertaining.
Pirate Bill does attract children and is therefore successful. From the brief parts that I've heard then I think he's great for the children. Maybe his act could be refreshed every so often so it doesn't get tiring.
Pirate Bill does attract children and is therefore successful. From the brief parts that I've heard then I think he's great for the children. Maybe his act could be refreshed every so often so it doesn't get tiring.
Just look how busy it used to get!!! Certainally has a more fun atmosphere and gets everyone involved!
pt1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FcOYeOb2aI#
pt 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMsdXBJMEgE#
pt1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FcOYeOb2aI#
pt 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMsdXBJMEgE#
cybermen39
TS Member
And there you have the wonderful Ida Down.
It just says it all in those 2 video's that people want fun and that did just that. You can bet this Halloween show has no songs even relevant to Halloween just like last year there was not 1 song that was to do with halloween. And that's what its all about. Those video's prove that the guests love to let there hair down they loved it. Ida was great.
It just says it all in those 2 video's that people want fun and that did just that. You can bet this Halloween show has no songs even relevant to Halloween just like last year there was not 1 song that was to do with halloween. And that's what its all about. Those video's prove that the guests love to let there hair down they loved it. Ida was great.
I agree, its supposed to be a fun hotel - but there is absolutely no audience participation - getting everyone up at the end to do that dance just adds to the fun. I know Ida and Tanya could be close to the mark, but, the kids were also entertained. I dunno, maybe the age of political correctness and the desire to not offend anyone whatsoever in this day and age has just killed off the fun factor. Not just in ATH but in any resort.
cybermen39
TS Member
Not really every Panto every year has innuendo and rude jokes that go right over the kids heads.
Its classic entertainment and it never dates and is always fun. Alton takes it self far to serious these days they seem more interested in the themselfs than the guests. The songs they choose do not get the guests singing along or want to have a dance' they sing songs that go right over your head. I'm not disagreeing with you but my favourite thing is going to the theatre and I keep saying it but classic entertainment does not date. They try to be modern but it just does not work.
Its classic entertainment and it never dates and is always fun. Alton takes it self far to serious these days they seem more interested in the themselfs than the guests. The songs they choose do not get the guests singing along or want to have a dance' they sing songs that go right over your head. I'm not disagreeing with you but my favourite thing is going to the theatre and I keep saying it but classic entertainment does not date. They try to be modern but it just does not work.