We will rock you. Anthem show

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

So here's the question: Is it worse than CATS?!

[roe2ship]

I'm guessing that We Will Rock You wasn't originally meant to be on a ship sailing out of NJ. I'm sure these shows are contracted out a long time in advance. Quantum was supposed to be the ship sailing out of NJ with Mama Mia, until they found out Bermuda wouldn't be ready. They needed to get a ship that could sail to Bermuda, so Liberty was brought in, for the season, and Quantum was sent to China.

 

NJ ended up getting Anthem, that may have been originally planned for Europe, where We Will Rock You was very popular.

That is a good point. Although when Anthem did the six months in Europe, from what I read the reviews were far from glowing too.

 

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[alfaeric]

As with everything, people see things in different ways.

 

We loved We Will Rock You. The story isn't great, sure, but being a Queen fan, the music more than made up for it.

 

YMMV.

[MisterBill99]

That is a good point. Although when Anthem did the six months in Europe, from what I read the reviews were far from glowing too.

 

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I had a discussion with the cruise director (Abe) about WWRY today. He claims that the passenger ratings for it are very high (even from the US sailings) and basically brushed off Cruise Critic complaints as not being representative (which in itself is sad since he should be concerned about stuff being said here, but that is another story). So I doubt that anything will change, but it won't stop me from complaining about it in the survey.

[Life is Good Cruising]

So here's the question: Is it worse than CATS?!

 

IMO, it is not worse than Cats at all, everyone has their own opinion, which they are entitled to. We saw WWRY last month, the singers and the songs are great, so good, that we'll be seeing it again next week. :D

[gaylemh]

I had a discussion with the cruise director (Abe) about WWRY today. He claims that the passenger ratings for it are very high (even from the US sailings) and basically brushed off Cruise Critic complaints as not being representative (which in itself is sad since he should be concerned about stuff being said here, but that is another story). So I doubt that anything will change, but it won't stop me from complaining about it in the survey.

 

Even though CC is important, you have to remember that it is only a very small percentage of those that cruise, and most people will complain about something more so than they will praise.

[luv2cruisekc]

Not our cup of tea, but the shows were interesting and well put together.

[MisterBill99]

So here's the question: Is it worse than CATS?!

 

I loved Cats. Yes, it was long but it was very well done and the "book" was classic poems by T.S. Elliot. I know that a lot of people did not care for it but it was not even in the same class as WWRY in terms of show quality.

[dani negreanu]

I'm a Queen fan. I've looked forward to seeing WWRY, since I've have not seen it on stage.

I went for the songs. I didn't mind the story. I didn't care for the male singer, but the 2 females singers were outstanding. Nobody left, beside DH, for whom the volume was too loud. For me too, but I stayed put.:)

 

I also enjoyed the Gift, since my expectations were low, after reading those boards. Again, the show was good, and I didn't mind the story.

 

Even Spectra, in the 270 venue, was entertaining and interesting.

[sblair]

So here's the question: Is it worse than CATS?!

 

I would see CATS over WWRY in a heartbeat! Even the 18th string van and U-Haul cut down version CATS would be better than WWRY.

[alfaeric]

I loved Cats. Yes, it was long but it was very well done and the "book" was classic poems by T.S. Elliot. I know that a lot of people did not care for it but it was not even in the same class as WWRY in terms of show quality.

 

I would see CATS over WWRY in a heartbeat! Even the 18th string van and U-Haul cut down version CATS would be better than WWRY.

 

Again, and example of how people are different.

 

I would rather have my eyeballs poked out with a dull rusty pole than see cats.

 

A.L. Weber is a massive hack in my book.

 

:D

[papcx]

A.L. Weber is a massive hack in my book.

 

 

 

:D

 

 

It's Lord A. L. Weber to the likes of you and me. [emoji3]

[luv2cruisekc]

Interesting is a good way to describe Spectra and the Gift. The shows were staged beautifully. Being a senior, I personally did not care for the shows. What one likes, someone else doesn't like. Sailing the Anthem again in June with several generations and it will be interesting to see what they think. I would give the ship and food 5 stars, lobster tails every night if you want them and they are huge.

[sblair]

A.L. Weber is a massive hack in my book.

 

:D

 

Seriously? Compared to that trash Ben Elton wrote?

[alfaeric]

Seriously? Compared to that trash Ben Elton wrote?

 

Yes.

 

BTW, I'm comparing music, so it's AL Weber vs. Queen. And that comparison isn't even fair, Queen is so far superior it's not even funny.

 

And comparing it to- Bernstein, Rogers & Hammerstein, etc- AL Weber is a massive hack. The music is so very, very uninteresting.

 

The story may be weak, but the music more than makes up for that.

 

Compared to a play where one must read some poetry to know the characters and the music is bad. Ugh.

[MisterBill99]

Interesting is a good way to describe Spectra and the Gift. The shows were staged beautifully. Being a senior, I personally did not care for the shows.

I prefer to think of them as unusual, but in a good way. And they were short, something that cannot be said for WWRY. I liked the music choices in The Gift. Spectra was just strange.

I went on the Backstage Tour this morning and discussed WWRY with the Dance Captain and a few people standing nearby when I was talking to him agreed with me. I did not comment about the show during the general Q&A session that preceded the tour because I was afraid people would tell me that I was wrong.

[sblair]

Yes.

 

BTW, I'm comparing music, so it's AL Weber vs. Queen. And that comparison isn't even fair, Queen is so far superior it's not even funny.

 

And comparing it to- Bernstein, Rogers & Hammerstein, etc- AL Weber is a massive hack. The music is so very, very uninteresting.

 

The story may be weak, but the music more than makes up for that.

 

Compared to a play where one must read some poetry to know the characters and the music is bad. Ugh.

 

I'm comparing shows in their ENTIRITY. I LOVE Queen and think that Freddie was a brilliant artist. WWRY is such an awful book (script/story) and it is so cheesy and the acting so amateur that it distracts from the music. If you were to put the performers as just a cover band it would be far more enjoyable. I have to believe that Freddy is rolling in his grave at how they have ruined his music with this show. It is because I love the music of Queen that it causes me to hate this show even more.

[karmacats]

I had a discussion with the cruise director (Abe) about WWRY today. He claims that the passenger ratings for it are very high (even from the US sailings)

 

it's been a few weeks since i did my survey, but i seem to recall being frustrated when asked to rank WWRY because there was just one spot to fill in what you thought of it - there was no differentiation between music, performers, tech, story, etc. so in my case, where i thought the band was a 10, the performers between maybe 7-9 depending on the character, and the book/story a 2, i rated it somewhere around a 7 or 8 because that's what it averaged out to. i also didn't want the performers to be penalized by a bad rating when on the whole they did very well; there's nothing they can do about the bad storyline. so, i can see where people who didn't exactly enjoy the play might still give it decent marks, while never planning on seeing the horrific thing again. :p

 

fwiw, i did explain in the "do you have anything else to add" freeform text at the end of the survey that i gave it its higher rating because of the cast and band, and that the play itself was terrible. however, i'm guessing all they will see is "rating of 8 - that's pretty good!" maybe i just should have put "n/a" as the rating, but i wasn't really thinking about it at the time.

 

my whole group of 5 really enjoyed spectra's a lot - it was weird, but not in an offputting way, and i thought they did a really good job merging the tech and performers. my group was split on the gift, but both DH and i really liked it, and i can't understand why people have trouble following the storyline, as they spell it out at the beginning. it's also not a traditional play, but not as strange as spectra's. both of those are short, too, so if you don't like them, it's not as painful as WWRY.

 

then again, i also liked cats (on broadway - not seen it on oasis). so my opinion may not be in line with many on here. ;)

[papcx]

my whole group of 5 really enjoyed spectra's a lot - it was weird, but not in an offputting way, and i thought they did a really good job merging the tech and performers. my group was split on the gift, but both DH and i really liked it, and i can't understand why people have trouble following the storyline, as they spell it out at the beginning. it's also not a traditional play, but not as strange as spectra's. both of those are short, too, so if you don't like them, it's not as painful as WWRY.

 

 

 

I wish I'd have thought to explain it that way. Exactly what I thought.

 

Also, another good reason to get to the theatre early, good seats and you see the start. A bit like the Catholic Church and Monty Pythons Life of Brian!

[Tura Lura]

Loved everything about Rock of Ages on Breakaway. In fact, we thought it was the best show at sea.

 

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And I thought that was one of the worst shows i'd ever seen in my life. the music was fine, i sang along despite myself. But the acting, the show itself, the "broadway" voices attempting to sing rock. ugh. it was embarrassing.

[Tura Lura]

Again, and example of how people are different.

 

I would rather have my eyeballs poked out with a dull rusty pole than see cats.

 

A.L. Weber is a massive hack in my book.

 

:D

 

Ok we will rock you was worse than cats. BUT i agree that i would also rather have my eyeballs poked out than see cats. (i saw it on broadway by force, when they climbed through audience and one "cat" came near me i told them if they get any closer i would rip off their...).

[roe2ship]

And I thought that was one of the worst shows i'd ever seen in my life. the music was fine, i sang along despite myself. But the acting, the show itself, the "broadway" voices attempting to sing rock. ugh. it was embarrassing.

Standing ovation both times I've seen it ....different strokes for different folks.

 

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[MisterBill99]

Standing ovation both times I've seen it ....different strokes for different folks.

Standing ovations (which are really overdone, anyway) are for the performance, not the material.

Edited January 15, 2016 by MisterBill99

[Lveh8lve]

I too absolutely despised WWRY. The story seemed to have been written by someone dropping acid while watching pink floyds the wall and said "let's make it a love story!!" I did not see the encore as I could not stand one more second in that theatre. I fled with the rest of the people who just stayed to be polite

 

Another issue was the British female lead was considerably better then the rest of the cast.

[MisterBill99]

I too absolutely despised WWRY. The story seemed to have been written by someone dropping acid while watching pink floyds the wall and said "let's make it a love story!!" I did not see the encore as I could not stand one more second in that theatre. I fled with the rest of the people who just stayed to be polite

 

Another issue was the British female lead was considerably better then the rest of the cast.

You should have stayed around for the encore since it was just Bohemian Rhapsody and no dialog so it was fine.

 

Apparently Queen (or their organization) have approval rights over the casting (per info I got at the Backstage Tour), so they are apparently OK with the actors and production.

Edited January 15, 2016 by MisterBill99