Synopsis
Calypso music wafts through the air above the hum of pleasant conversation and the gentle clink of icy cocktails while waiters pass amongst the guests, offering delicacies from the Caribbean. Looming over the tranquil scene is the majestic Galleon, brightly lit as it floats at rest, gently nudging the adjacent dock...
Suddenly, a piercing scream comes from the deck of The Galleon; and the crowd gasps as a body flies over the rail to fall into the lagoon, below. All eyes are riveted on the stern of the ship... The boom of a cadre of drums reverberates though the air, as the imposing figure of a Pirate Captain appears on the Afterdeck, holding a struggling, rope-bound figure...
“Pay attention to me, Swabbies; yer a buncha landlubbers, just waitin’ t’be keelhauled, y’know..."
Appearing behind the Captain are the dozen, fierce-looking pirates of his crew. Swords in hand, these yellow-shirted villains flank the captain and populate the deck; shaking their weapons at the crowd, below...
The Pirate Captain bellows, calling for any man or woman to challenge his supremacy.
“Listen up, landlubbers; we own the seas an’ we want nay trouble from th’likes o’you! We be havin' insurance that ye`ll stay away an' let us do what we want...so stand aft, an’ nay one’ll get hurt!”
“Oh my GOD,” shouts someone in the crowd, “he’s got Liz Collison, up there!” Sure enough, the bound person on the afterdeck is the Conference Chair, herself, in the clutches of this band of Evil Pirates. The merchant ship has been overtaken by a rogue band, and it looks as though the Pirates have the upper hand.
“Quiet!” The Pirate Captain orders the crowd to silence, “ This lass be me insurance that ye all will nay be gettin' in th' way o' me crew as we do some pillagin' from ye swabbies. So, be ready t' empty yer pockets as me men come down thar t' collect our taxes from ye!"
“Any resistance from th' crowd will mean this lady walks th' plank into th' cold, dark waters an' Davy Jones’ Locker! If ye erewant t' be seein' th' lass' again, ye will all remain quiet an' docile until we sail away wi' our booty. If thar’s nay trouble, we’ll be send th' lass' aft t' ye by return mail”
A gasp runs through the crowd...how will they save her; or, are they doomed to watch the Pirates sail away with her...?
Just as the realization hits the crowd and their eyes are riveted on their endangered Chair,
Suddenly, another cry erupts; this time, from among the gathered guests...as a phalanx of brilliantly red-shirted fighters charges to the fore.
“We’ll be havin' none o’ that tomfoolery, ye sea dog scallywag!” Shouts the Captain of the Rescuers... “Me, me men an' these good folks, here, be takin' aft starboardful ownership by force if ye don’t release that lass an' give ‘er up by th' time I count t' five!”
The Pirate Captain is having none of it...
"You think, fer a minute, that ye can best me an' me crew? We own th' seas, ye bilge rat; ye haven`t got a chance against us!"
The Band of Protectors have placed themselves, incognito, amongst the crowd; ready to prepare the guests to join them in the rescue of Ms. Collison.
"You`re a fool if ye think that ye be havin' a chance o' gettin' away wi' this, ye has-been swashbuckler... Me men be th' best in this land, an' can scale th' hull o' yer puny galleon in th' space o' an instant an' avast ye in yer scurvy tracks"
The Pirate Captain laughs, and his men join him in mocking the Rescuers with hoots and jeers...as the Rescuers spread through the crowd, encouraging them to join them in the count...
“ONE!.... TWO!.... THREE!.... FOUR!... ” As the Pirates continue their derisive epithets, the Band of Protectors begins to storm the Galleon... “FIVE! Here we come, ye bilge rat. We takin' aft th' vessel an' all yer dubloon an' sil'er -- an' ye won`t be enjoyin' th' company o' any sweet lass fer a long, long time; once I`ve seen t' 't that ye be tossed into jail an' th' key be thrown away. `Tis that, or th' Locker o' Davy Jones fer ye, ye lily-livered scallywag!”
A roar emanates from the crowd as the Band of Protectors races to attack and reclaim the Galleon and rescue the Fair Ms. Collison. They climb the sides of the ship and engage the Pirates in some fantastic fighting.
“Aaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhh...!" Shouts the Pirate Captain, as the galleon is stormed...
Swords ring out in the conflict, the boom and smoke of pistol and musket fire fill the air...cannonballs splash into the lagoon as the battle rages all over the ship. Shao-Lin to Shao-Lin, Pirate to Pirate, the upper decks are alive with the pitched battle as fighters leap from place to place and engage one another in individual contests of strength and acrobatic agility in this rescue...
The battle climbs up, into the rigging and the crow’s nest; finally, all eyes are on the two men, fighting one another, at the railing -- the Pirate Captain and the leader of the Band of Protectors are face-to-face.
The music builds, the fighting becomes more fierce, and finally, as the music crests, the Pirate Captain is vanquished....
The Leader leaps to the deck and unties Liz and they join hands, holding them high in the air,
“Avast, me heartys, we’ve vanquished th' scurvy rats o' th' sea an' th' victory be ours, once again! Come aboard me ship an' join us all in th' celebration o' our victory an' th' punishment o' these wicked rapscallions. By th' time we’re finished wi' this lot, these rascals’ll be havin' a lot o' time t' think before they choose t' take on th' likes o' me an' me men, again!"
“We’ve vanquished the blackguards, and ‘tis time we be gatherin’ and celebratin’ and drinkin’ up!"
“But first, in honor o' International Talk Like a Shipmate Tide, I want t' hear all o' ye shout like a Shipmate”
He begins the cheer; as all the Pirates and Protectors cheer, along with him - the Leader challenges the crowd,
“Let’s hear ‘t from ye, our Victory Cheer! Arrrrrrrggggghhhhh!”
He and his crew coax the crowd in the “Arrrrrggggghhhh” cheer until the entire crowd is shouting “Arrrrgggggh,” “Arrrrgggggh,” “Arrrrgggggh,” “Arrrrgggggh,” in unison --
As they reach their loudest, the doors of the Galleon burst open in a cloud of smoke, and a group of the actors signals to the crowd to enter...
The dancing begins and in moments the party is in Full Swing..
All in all, it is a wonderful evening; full of sights and sounds of the Ancient Seas. The guests depart, exhausted and thrilled; this is not what had been expected, at all.
Yet, in a broader sense, it is yet another complete and lush experience that is the Hallmark of IHG.
