23 May 2016
Episode 241
30 minutes
Photo: Salva Lopez
Robert Bound is on board the ‘MSC Preziosa’, somewhere between Rome and Marseille, to find out about the most misunderstood area of the arts: cruise-ship entertainers.
23 May 2016
Share episode
DownloadChapter 1
8 minutes
Photo: Salva Lopez
15
15
/
Franco Pili, cruise director of the ‘MSC Preziosa’, is an old hand with a young heart and matchless energy for running around, talking fluently and constantly in half a dozen languages and being the very voice of the ship. For up to five months at a time Franco takes charge of everything from aerobics classes to the big nightly shows in the 1,600-seater showpiece theatre.
8 minutes
Share chapter 1

Chapter 2
7 minutes
Photo: Salva Lopez
15
15
/
Michael and Zibi are 24-year-old Polish acrobats who have been working together for 10 years. After backflipping their way through circuses and large-scale productions around the world they’ve boarded the ‘MSC Preziosa’. They tell Robert Bound about their acrobatic style and how on earth you stay stable at sea.
7 minutes
Share chapter 2

Chapter 3
4 minutes
Photo: Salva Lopez
15
15
/
Behind the scenes we meet Bogdan Ristea, the very level-headed Romanian theatre production co-ordinator. He talks us through how you put an international group of performers together to create a ship-shape show.
4 minutes
Share chapter 3

Chapter 4
6 minutes
Photo: Salva Lopez
15
15
/
Franco Pili, cruise director of the ‘MSC Preziosa’, tells us about the latest trends in cruising. He compares the US style with this European glitziness and reveals how, entertainment-wise, he keeps the whole thing afloat, smiling and projecting to the back row of the dress circle.
6 minutes
Share chapter 4

Want more radio episodes like these in your inbox?
Sign up to Monocle’s email newsletters to stay on top of news and opinion, plus the latest from the magazine, radio, film and shop.
Monocle on Culture - latest episodes
Monocle recommends
As many nations face at least the next few weeks stuck inside, we’ve enlisted TV critic Scott Bryan and music journalist Georgie Rogers to tell us the best things that are on television, streaming and coming out on record…
Max Porter
Writer Max Porter joins Robert Bound to talk about his new book, ‘The Death of Francis Bacon’. Porter, whose previous works includes the titles ‘Lanny’ and ‘Grief is the Thing with Feathers’, discusses art, death and truth…
The Power of Sound: Johnnie Burn
Throughout his career as a sound designer, editor and mixer, Johnnie Burn has worked on iconic TV commercials for clients such as Guinness; created the sounds you hear every time you log onto Skype; and developed the sound…
‘Little Scratch’ by Rebecca Watson
We review ‘Little Scratch’, the debut novel by Rebecca Watson, an experimental exploration of a day in the life of a young woman in London. Robert Bound is joined by critics Susannah Butter and Lucy Scholes.
The Power of Sound: Susan Rogers
When Susan Rogers started out as an audio technician she had no idea that she would eventually contribute to some of the biggest pop hits ever made. She is best known for being Prince’s sound engineer on seminal albums…
Looking ahead to 2021
We look to the year ahead in film, books and art with our critics: Anna Smith, John Mitchinson and Francesca Gavin.
2020 music, film and TV review
Our critics Simran Hans, Will Hodgkinson and Fernando Augusto Pacheco reveal their top albums, films and television shows of the year.
A Christmas story: ‘The List’
Celebrate Christmas with us in a ‘Monocle on Culture’ first: an original piece of festive fiction written by Chloë Ashby.
The Power of Sound: Jamie Cullum
Grammy-nominated jazz star Jamie Cullum tells us about the making of his first ever Christmas album, ‘The Pianoman at Christmas’. He discusses the keys and chords that make classic Christmas songs, the festive music he was…
‘Winter Light’ at the Southbank Centre
We go for a wander around the outside of London’s Southbank Centre to see its new multimedia exhibition, ‘Winter Light’. Robert Bound is accompanied by curator Cliff Lauson and artist David Ogle.
The Power of Sound: Hannah Peel
This week we speak to musician, composer and artist Hannah Peel. Renowned for her work in electronica, sound design and scoring for the screen, Peel is also interested in the intersection of music and science. In her solo…
Jonathan Coe
Novelist Jonathan Coe joins Robert Bound to discuss his new book, ‘Mr Wilder and Me’, a fictional depiction of a young woman who finds herself on a Greek island working for American film director Billy Wilder.
The Power of Sound: Chris Watson
Award-winning sound recordist Chris Watson is one of the leading documenters of the natural world, having recorded wildlife across all continents. Watson is also a musician and was a founding member of experimental group…
‘Mank’
Robert Bound is joined by film critics Tim Robey and Karen Krizanovich to review David Fincher’s latest film, ‘Mank’, the story of screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz as he battles for credit on the Oscar-winning ‘Citizen Kane’…
‘Cook, Eat, Repeat’ by Nigella Lawson
We discuss the balance of stories, recipes and personality in cookery books through the lens of Nigella Lawson’s new volume, ‘Cook, Eat, Repeat’. Robert Bound is joined by food writers Felicity Cloake and Olivia Potts and…