Crew Drag Shows

While the passengers enjoyed the luxury of several public rooms, no such options were available to the crew. The only exception was when a movie was put on for the crew in the theatre, with screenings usually starting at around 11pm.

On the longer cruises, as already discussed, a variety show was performed for both passengers and crew. Apart from our own cabins or mess-rooms, it was the crew bars, the “Pig & Whistle” where our communal after-hours entertainment was found.

No Hollywood stars were placed on the bill; all our performers were “home-grown”. It was surprising just how talented many of these guys were, like Tommy Steele and Russ Conway for example. Several former Caronia crew went on to achieve Worldwide fame!

However, the highlight of any week was when a “drag show” was announced. In modern times, this may hint at hugely bawdy shows rather than anything of any musical or artistic talent. Since then, their reputation doesn't seem to have much improved.

The shows in the Pig could be quite bawdy if the performer was a comic, gay or straight. Those shows were certainly for adult ears only! Considering the performer's main occupations not being in show-business, their sharpness of wit was still brutal!

For the drag acts, as the pictures show below, a lot of spare-time effort went into perfecting both the costume and the performance. The talents in making costumes, learning the routines and putting on a polished performance was remarkable!

From the feedback I have received on the topic of “gay life” on board, I have decided to repeat the Sidebar Topic from the previous page.

The Last Ever Show

My small involvement in the 1966 World Cruise show as the previous page indicates was a 4 minute re-enactment of a sketch from the then very popular “Round the Horne” radio show.

A Repeat!

What I hadn't been aware of until recently is that the same sketch was repeated as part of the very last crew show performed on board in November 1967. Naturally, I'm thrilled that all the work I'd put into collating and transcribing the original script from my tape recording featured as part of this final show.

Drag Shows

There was clearly a passion from these male performers to present themselves as “convincing” females. I suppose it was just like everything else on board, paying attention to the detail!

Allan Horsburgh aka “Lana”

Allan Horsburgh first joined the Caronia's crew as a Waiter in August 1954. It appears that to begin with, he kept a low profile, but after a year or two, he became a force to be reckoned with! In 1955 he moved from the Sandringham Restaurant to the Balmoral.

So, How Do You Spell His Name?

There are frequent occasions when visitors have searched for Allan using the incorrect “Alan Horsborough”, as their search term and ended up disappointed with their results. I'm now deliberately mis-spelling his name as “Alan Horsburgh”, so this explanation is found. The former was often how “Lana's” name was presented in show and other programmes.

In the picture below, note the curvature of the bulkhead corner and the art-deco lamp cover.

November 1967 - The Last Ever Crew Show

With no passengers aboard, this show was put on during Caronia's last ever Eastbound transatlantic crossing. The fact that everyone aboard was sailing toward a very uncertain future was not going to be any deterrent to them organising some fun and laughter. This, even for those who'd made Caronia their long-term home.

Timeline followers will have read that I was talked into performing a part as the customer in the “Waiter, Waiter!” sketch on the 1966 Great World Cruise. This was originally performed as a skit called “Bona Waiters”; from of a popular BBC radio series of the mid-1960s called “Round the Horne”.

Below is a link to a recording of that show's sketch. For anyone concerned, it's based upon camp innuendo and a long-winded way of ordering what ends up as a very basic meal…

Whether through laughter or sadness, I don't think there would have been a dry-eye in the auditorium that night. Even though I'd left Caronia a year earlier, I well-up at the thought…