Camping at the Texas Renaissance Festival

New Renaissance Faire Photo Directory

www.RenFairePhotos.com has now come onto the scene offering a one stop directory/reference location for people who love the magic of Photography at Faire. Also often referred to as being a member of the Cannon Club along the West Coast, faires attract shutterbugs from the amature to the professional and everyone in between.

Be sure to check out the new site and let them know if you are (or know) of a photographer who’s work should be highlighted.

Help the Harp Maker move back to California

12th Night San Diego

Twelfth Night in San Diego Announces

Pirates!!

ome one and all! Yes it’s true! We have booked a new musical act - The Dread Crew of Oddwood. This is a funky group of seafarers with an energetic sound that will close out our holiday celebration in grand buccaneer style. They can be found performing at Gold Coast Festivals (Escondido Faire, Vista Pirate Fest) throughout So. Cal and have agreed to drop anchor at Twelfth Night! you can find them on myspace at  http://www.myspace.com/oddwood.

 

So that makes our new lineup include the Merry Misfits of Doom and The Dread Crew of Oddwood. There will be more announcements as bookings continue! 

Twelfth Night in San Diego is being held January 10th 2009 at the Nan Couts Cottage on the grounds of the La Mesa Rec Center - The address is 4975 Memorial Dr, La Mesa, CA 91941 . There is plenty of free parking. The event begins at 5 PM and ends at 10 PM.

Don’t miss out on this great event!  There will be a costume contest for the most HOLIDAY THEMED OUTFIT, a portrait photographer, fools, an oracle, Father Christmas and his Consort and more fun is being arranged!

Tickets are on sale now and will be on ‘early bird’ discount for another few weeks only. Advance reservations are absolutely required, and tickets are aleady going quickly. Renaissance costume is required for all attending this feast and rollicking revel! For tickets go to www.12thnightsandiego.com

Anon,

Martina

Knight Mist: Episode 1

By Stevil Strange

"What are you doing?" Snipe asked with an annoyed voice.

I continued to act like I was looking for something on the floor board of the truck.

"Nothing’" I answered.

"Yes you are. What’s up?" He asked.

I reached under my seat hoping against hope that I would find something that had been kicked under it to give my excuse some credence. Bent forward with my head between my knees I was unable to see out the windows.

My name is Steve. I am a magician. Not a cool Merlin or Gandalf magician, but more of a pull a rabbit out of a hat magician. I am one half of the comedy magic duo of "Myth & Magic."

The other half of the duo, Pat ‘Snipe’ Reule was driving the truck.

We were on our way to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. We were scheduled to perform at a Renaissance Faire that weekend.

Right now Snipe was driving the truck over the Oakland Bay Bridge. I could hear the thump thump thump of the tires on the bridge. I could feel the vibrations through the seat and the sides of the cab. I could feel sweat appearing on my forehead and the palms of my hands begin to moistening. I could feel my testicles sucking up into my body.

"Wow," Snipe said, "Look at the ocean way down there. How far up do you think we are?"

"I have no idea." I said as I continued to ‘fake’ looking for something. You see, I don’t know why, but I have a terrible fear of high bridges. High bridges over water. Well, that’s just a double header of terror as far as I am concerned.

"Did you ever see the video of the last big quake when parts of this bridge fell?" Snipe continued his ribbing.

I knew, he knew about my phobia, "Kiss my.."

"Asshole !" Snipe yelled at the driver of a Prius that cut us off.

Snipe swerved to avoid an accident as he did, my head smacked against the glove compartment door.

"Ouch!" I shouted as I rubbed my head.

Snipe honked the horn at the Prius. The driver of the Prius waved back in reply, but only used his middle finger.

"It’s on now." Snipe said under his breath and hit the gas.

Oh great, I thought to myself, I’m on a high bridge, way up over water and I’m in a car chase. What else could possibly go wrong this weekend.

The 7th Annual Renaissance Symposium

Will be held at the Doubletree hotel and Modesto Convention center in Modesto, CA, on February 6th-8th, 2009.

It’s time to come together to learn from each other and share ideas to help make for a better Renaissance Faire experience. To be held at the Modesto Doubletree on February 23rd and 24th, a weekend long workshop & symposium geared toward faire participants, vendors, and playtrons. Basically it’s for anyone interested in expanding their knowledge about history, performance, vending, production, and more.

This year we’d like to have panels with a good number of the vendor and guild/theatrical coordinators (one session for each), so the guilds and vendors can hear what’s being looked for in the upcoming season in one go. There will also be vendor and guild coordinator roundtables this time on friday night to help kick off the weekend.

The website can be found at www.rensymposium.com

Five Things To Improve Your Renaissance Clothes

So you’ve been coming to Faire for a while, and you’ve decided that you’d like to wear something more historical than what you have. You spent a lot of money on your outfit. You can’t just throw it all out and buy new stuff! Is there anything you can do?Yup! Here’s five little things you can do to improve your outfit today.

Wear a cap - Most women didn’t go around with their hair uncovered. Even upper class women had their hair specially dressed and coiffed. Common women typically wore white linen caps to keep their hair clean and tidy. Find a white linen cap or coif at one of the merchants and tuck all your hair up into it. If you can’t find a white linen cap, a white piece of linen wrapped around your head “do-rag” style is acceptable too.

Cover your shoulders- This one is really two. Number one: Pull your chemise sleeves up so they cover your shoulders. The “off-shoulder” look wasn’t done in the 16^th century. Number two: Wear a partlet or shoulder cape to cover your chest and shoulders. A simple rectangle of white linen pinned at the throat will not only make your outfit more historically accurate, it will also protect your skin from sunburn. No more red triangles!

Un-tuck your skirts - Wearing a skirt tucked up into your belt isn’t period-appropriate. Women in the 16^th century wore theirs hanging normally.

Change your boots for shoes - Boots were worn more for function than fashion in the 16^th century. If you’re not riding a horse, you probably shouldn’t be wearing boots. Luckily the shoes from this time period looked very much like “China flats” or canvas slippers. Pick up a pair for a few dollars at your local thrift store.

Unhook your tankard- People didn’t go to 16^th century taverns with their own personal tankard on their belts. The tavern provided drinking vessels. If you really feel the need to carry your own tankard with you, tuck it into a pouch and suspend that from your belt or put it in a basket and carry it.

Kass McGann

The Faire Spoken Greeting

One way to join in the fun of Faire is to ‘speak the speech’- the language of Queen Elizabeth and William Shakespeare, Kit Marlow and the King James Bible. You’ll find performers at any Faire who are always happy to exchange a few words, and you may find yourself playing a bigger part than you expected. Remember that language is everyman’s sport- the playing field that’s open to every level of society, and one where a ploughboy can outshine an earl… provided he keeps his manners.

To play well with others, it’s good to know something about the rules. Let’s start with the basics: thou and thee. Thy friends will be thee, and also thy social equals, and all those who are below thine own rank in life- what we know as station. (The exception to this is God, who is addressed as thou, like a familiar friend.) Thou and thee confuse people sometimes, partly because of that business about God: so here’s a way to remember which is which. Thou goest to the Faire… but thy friend goeth with thee.

In the modern world, it’s polite to treat everyone as equal., but at Faire, we’re all pretty proud of our station- whatever it is. A husbandman- a farmer working rented land- is proud to be above the labourer and the beggar. …And if the yeomen, the merchants and tradesmen, the gentry, the nobility and the Queen are all above him, well, so is the sky. That’s just the way it is. So when thou speakest to the Queen or some of her velvet nobles, ‘tis well to remember: to such folk as thou and I, they are always addressed as you. Any time thou art in doubt, assume the polite form is correct- nobody ever took insult at hearing themselves called you. (In fact, that’s basically how poor old thou drifted out of the English language.)

Today in thy wanderings, thou wilt pass by hundreds of people on the streets of the Faire. Add to thy pleasure, then, by greeting some of them in passing, seeing how thine eye can learn to judge their station in a glance.

To commoners (and close friends):

Give thee good day, Goodman Farmer.

Good morrow, Goodwife.

Well met, Cousin! (Any close friend or relative, Coz for short.)

How doth the day find thee, Ploughman?

How now, good fellow?

God save thee, Goodman Chandler (a candle-maker).

How dost thou this day, Gaffer/Gammer? (Grandfather and Grandmother, but thou canst use them for any person old enough- or mock thy friends with the titles when they seem to speak with greybeard wisdom.)

Good after-noon to thee, brave lad. ( means ‘good-looking’.)

Good fore-noon to thee, pretty lass. (If thou holdest the girl in kissing acquaintance, then by all means call her sweeting or sweetin’. Be certain she’s in agreement on the subject, or thou shalt haply have thine ears boxed for thee, and deserve it too.)

How farest thou this morn, Goodman Shepherd?

…And on parting with any of these same, a “Farewell” or a “Fare-thee-well” can add a further touch of colour to thy speech.

To those who, um, might be well-to-do commons or might be gentry, blast it, I’m not quite sure, how do I play it safe?:

How do you this day?

Give you good morrow, Master Shipwright. (Boat-building is a skilled trade- but is he above thy station?)

How now, Master?

Good day to you, fair Mistress.

Doth the day find you well, Master Smith?

Fair morning to you, sir.

Give you good day, Mistress Puritan.

How fare you, Mistress Dyer? (Cloth dyers were a guild with closely-guarded trade secrets, because natural dyes fade quickly unless the cloth is treated.)

Well met, Master Joiner (a carpenter).

Nice clothes, bright colours, I bet they’re gentry:

How do you, sir?

Fair day to you, good dame.

The blessings of the day to you, sweet madam.

How now, good sir?

Mistress, how do you?

How doth the day find you, Master?

Good morrow to you, sir and dame.

If they’re gentlemen or gentlewomen, they have no trade or work- by definition, in fact. A gentleman is a man who does no necessary work with his hands. (He can work for his pleasure if he wants.) So thou need’st not concern thyself with what their occupations might be: they own property, or businesses, or do engage themselves in trading ventures abroad. Just do thy best to call them you, in right mannerly fashion, and all else is well.

They’re wearing jewels and velvet, must be nobility:

God save you, good my Lord.

How do you this day, my Lady?

Cry your pardon, my Lord and Lady.

Is this not a wondrous Faire, good my Lady?

A good fore-noon to you, my Lord.

God you good den, my Lord, my Lady. (This basically means ‘good afternoon’.)

Purple and gold: it’s the Queen!:

God save Your Grace!

Give you good day, Your Majesty.

If by chance Her Majesty should choose to speak with thee, then “Aye, Your Majesty” will likely be the most of thy speech. (“Nay” is a word to use very cautiously with the Crown of England, or any other land either.) But it might be handy for thee to remember also, “An it please Your Grace,” which is simply to say, “Whatever you like.” Queens do ever like to hear that sort of thing.

And here are a couple of all-purpose greetings to thy friends and acquaintance, good for any time of the day or even.

What ho!

How now!

Gereg Jones-Muller

Conflict in Costume

I was struck by the post regarding principles for making documentaries, especially the element of finding your conflict. I started thinking that we need to start recording all of our ideas regarding the conflict that we can think of or that we might find as we enter this arena. These ideas are just the first that I could think of, but I know we need to keep digging into this question to find not just the surface conflicts but deeper ones.

1. Faire vs. Theater: I expected and have continued to discover a real distain for the Ren Faire costume compared from the perspective of the theater scene. For the larger documentary, I think this issue is going to be a key to connect the two areas. The Theater folks look at the Ren Faire as a silly place not to be compared with what they do. Much of the attitude comes from the fact that the patrons at Fairs come in costume.

2. Authenticity: While we haven’t gone to a reenactment yet, I expect to discover a conflict in the area of authenticity. I have a feeling that this will be key to the hierarchy that exists. This is also an interesting counter point to the Ren Faire which is based in history but only anchored there as a starting point.

3. Costumers are Dorks: This is an idea that we are counter with costumers are imaginative and creative.  It is quite possible that they are creative and imaginative dorks though, so I think we need to also show that MANY MANY people are involved in costuming on various levels. It is not so fringe at is seems. We will have to do research to help us develop this more. I think interviews with some academics regarding fan culture might also be really helpful.

I need to stop for now, but I want us to continue developing these ideas.

Reprinted with permission from Project Costume

Episode 1: Highbrow - Lowbrow at the Ren-Faire

The Bristol Renaissance Faire is filled with the most creative costumers and actors. We were struck by the commitment and passion of every participant, both paid and unpaid. The faire hosts over 200,000 patrons, or visitors each season and upwards of 400 performers each day. We learned from our interviews that a majority of the performers volunteer their time each weekend that the Faire is open through the summer. 

I have had no experience with Renaissance faires outside of second hand impressions from friends who have been involved. Coming into the faire, one of my main questions regarded how Ren-faires are perceived from the outside and from the inside. Each of the people we interviewed brought up the issue of Ren-faires being considered low-brow. When asked about this impression, the universal feeling was that while their reputation may not be high-brow, this was from lack of understanding of the skill and creativity of the events themselves.

Adam, a director of a troupe of street performers and an actor himself told us that he feels that the skill required for their improvisation is unique. While there is some scripting, each actor has a character to develop, rules to follow, interaction with the audience and maintaining high level of energy at all times. For instance, the fantasticals are fairy creatures. Each one is not only in full costume but also spray painted make up. These actors are never allowed to be seen out of their character throughout the day and this includes not speaking. They must maintain a fairy-like otherworldliness. Because of this, they are not allowed to order food from the vendors, but instead have to find creative ways of being fed by various patrons.

Alyssa, who we interviewed extensively, recently took the position of costume director. She had to face the issue of having her peers consider her taking a  step down in her career path. The theatre has the highbrow reputation that the faire lacks in reputation. We asked Alyssa how she felt about this and her love of her job and appreciation for this venue of costuming is clear. She feels that the interaction of the actors with the costumes brings a deeper level of creativity. Each of the actors work on their own costume to give them levels of detail that no costume director would have time or money to accomplish. This includes hand-beading, millinery, hand embroidery and stitching. Not only this, but each costume is transformed by the actor themselves. They spend so much time in the costumes that they learn to give them a life of their own by how their wear it such as tucking up parts or swinging the fabric as they walk.  These elements all add up to creative a collection of costumes that Alyssa feels can surpass much of the costume work that she experiences on traditional theaters.

Our impression was astonishment at the beauty and detail of each costume. We had high expectations for what we would see but we were blown away! We had four hours to spend at the faire and we felt that we were only able to touch the surface. We could have spent a least another day in 1574! 

We look forward to interviewing people from theaters and costume design fields as well as theater goers to get their impressions of these events for a counter point or possibly even support of the faire style theater.

While Shelby and I originally expected to only spend one day for the filming of this episode we are both eager to return. We had a wonderful experience with Alyssa and Adam who were so hospitable and open to us. I should also mentioned that the filming would have been a disaster without our crew, Joe who helped with communications and gear management and David who operated the boom with incredible skill as our sound director. Look for their mini-documentary titled “Adventures in helping our wife and girlfriend film at the Ren–Faire.” Good to see them getting into the documentary spirit.

Reprinted with permission from Project Costume

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