Renaissance fair(e)s

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 5:18 am

I don't know if this is true in Europe, but in the US there's a phenomenon known as "Renaissance Faires." Basically, they're opportunities for people to dress up and make believe they're really enjoying a faire day during the reign of Henry VIII (or Charles the Bold, or Aethelred the Unready, or whatever) without worrying about the little incidentals, like dung-filled streets, teeth rotted to the roots before adulthood, the rampant pox, etc. Well, you can't have it all, so I guess they decided to take what they could.

Do you have these kinds of events near you? If so, have you gone, and what's your impression?

thantor3 · Post by **thantor3** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 6:02 am

I love Renaissance Faires! My wife and I both have costumes that we like to wear when we go. For us, it is much more fun when we dress up. We do have a few of the Faires here in Washington, but they are typically quite small. The annual one nearest us in Carnation is very sad -- we basically did the whole thing in five minutes. Surprisingly, there is a SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) chapter where we live, though I have yet to participate in it.

One way to tell if a Renaissance Faire will be a good one is if they have jousting. Only the bigger ones typically have this. The best Faires I have been to were in California. You could literally spend the day and the SCA people would run around in character, doing guerilla theater. Done well, such events are truly magical.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 6:34 am

I am not familiar with similar events in Sweden, I believe Dottie is a far better source of information than I am.

One of my ex had a girlfriend who was a member of some special society celebrating the Gustavus III time and culture - that is late 18th century, Gustavus III was knows as the "theatre king" in Sweden, he brought much cultural influences to Sweden from the much more sophisticated French court. Obviously, this small society had meetings where they dressed up and had dinners according to Rokoko style.

The SCA exist in Sweden too, but my impression of them is not very good, unfortunately

Again, perhaps Dottie can offer more nuanced information.

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 7:04 am

How nice seeing you jumping to conclusions for once CE.

Actually I have no additional info on this subject. You know, dressing up medieval or renaissance style is far to much effort for me, so I have never bothered about it.

Of course there are such meetings going on in sweden too, but im not sure how big they are or how ambitious etc...

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 7:09 am

I like jumping to quick conclusions as you know Dottimedes, but I am also quick to revise

I actually (obviously incorrectly) recalled that you once said you know some people who had been or were members of the SCA and participated in live RPG:s, but I must have confused you with somebody else. Personally, I have known 3-4 people who were members of the SCA, one was a patient and the others should have been. (Well 2 of them have been in therapy, so I hope they are better now)

That's what I meant when I said I thought you had more nuanced information.

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 7:12 am

Originally posted by C Elegans
I like jumping to quick conclusions as you know Dottimedes, but I am also quick to revise

I actually (obviously incorrectly) recalled that you once said you know some people who had been or were members of the SCA and participated in live RPG:s

Of course...

No you're correct, but that doesnt neccessarily mean I have alot of info on the subject.

Other than their impression of course, but I dont count on them to make a balanced judgement.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 7:24 am

Originally posted by Dottie
No you're correct, but that doesnt neccessarily mean I have alot of info on the subject. Other than their impression of course, but I dont count on them to make a balanced judgement.

I thought you could provide some infor that might balance my very negative experiences of the Swedish SCA scene - one can never make a balanced judgement of single, subjective experience from a limited sample, but by adding your and your friends opinions/impressions, you increase the Swedish sample and thereby statistically increase the chance of a representative picture.

Although I think you are just making up an excuse for being to lazy to post...

Dottie · Post by **Dottie** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 7:39 am

Lets just say the friends in question are even more "geeky" than I ever was, and are unconditionaly positive to anything medieval. (or atleast thats the impression you get by talking to them

) In some ways its a relief to have nothing to hide.

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 8:53 am

Originally posted by Dottie
Lets just say the friends in question are even more "geeky" than I ever was, and are unconditionaly positive to anything medieval. (or atleast thats the impression you get by talking to them )

That's been my impression of the US SCAers, as well, but I have only to judge from Faires and such. The people who frequent 'em appear to be devoted in much the same sense as Trekkies, to some vision of an unattainable dream that substitutes for social responsibility in the here-and-now.

If that offends anybody, I apologize. Unless, of course, you speak Klingon, in which case, get a life.

thantor3 · Post by **thantor3** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 8:58 am

Originally posted by fable

If that offends anybody, I apologize. Unless, of course, you speak Klingon, in which case, get a life.

Hab SoSlI' Quch!

thantor3 · Post by **thantor3** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 9:00 am

Actually, I'm not offended and I don't speak Klingon, but I couldn't resist.

Ode to a Grasshopper · Sat Jul 20, 2002 9:18 am

I love those fairs! You always get loads of youth actors, derelict hippies, and other assorted interesting people who I generally get along well with at festivals like those.

fable · Post by **fable** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 2:26 pm

Originally posted by thantor3
Hab SoSlI' Quch!

Damn. I know some good Dutch curses, but I can't say 'em. Okay, consider 'em said.

Georgi · Post by **Georgi** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 2:27 pm

Well, I've never been to one, but I believe they do happen, and there are definitely reenactment societies and that kind of thing. The closest I can think of was a school fete when I was about 12, it was Robin Hood themed, and they had people as the characters, and an archery display... IIRC my friend and I amused ourselves by following the Sheriff of Nottingham around, booing and hissing at him.

Ode to a Grasshopper · Sat Jul 20, 2002 11:39 pm

Originally posted by Georgi
Well, I've never been to one, but I believe they do happen, and there are definitely reenactment societies and that kind of thing. The closest I can think of was a school fete when I was about 12, it was Robin Hood themed, and they had people as the characters, and an archery display... IIRC my friend and I amused ourselves by following the Sheriff of Nottingham around, booing and hissing at him.

You are sooo mean, that poor Sheriff.

I went to one on a high school drama excursion, it was pretty cool. For me they hold the same sort of attraction as outdoor markets or any other type of festival-it offers you the chance to see interesting things and meet people in an unusual environment.

Georgi · Post by **Georgi** » Sun Jul 21, 2002 4:26 am

Originally posted by Ode to a Grasshopper
You are sooo mean, that poor Sheriff.

Hey, he was the archvillain, he deserved it

Ode to a Grasshopper · Sun Jul 21, 2002 4:48 am

Originally posted by Georgi

Hey, he was the archvillain, he deserved it

That's no excuse, can you imagine what would happen if everyone went around heckling George Bush...Actually, that would be kind of cool...

Georgi · Post by **Georgi** » Sun Jul 21, 2002 6:31 am

Originally posted by Ode to a Grasshopper
That's no excuse, can you imagine what would happen if everyone went around heckling George Bush...Actually, that would be kind of cool...

What do you mean if?

Ode to a Grasshopper · Sun Jul 21, 2002 6:43 am

Originally posted by Georgi

What do you mean if?

Okay, when.

frogus · Post by **frogus** » Sun Jul 21, 2002 6:48 am

I didn't know you guys had a renaissance in America!

Stuff like that happens in England too, though I've only ever seen it on day-time TV and stuff, never actually experienced it going on in real life...sounds like the kind of thing I try to ignore (just like people learning to speak Klingon or Elfish). I simply cannot understand the kind of person who does it. However, I cannot understand religious people either, so I may just be an unusually unempathetic person.

Maybe it's just like Dungeons and Dragons.