Fantasycon

[la_marquise]

Fantasycon was interesting. It reminded me very much of Novacon -- very much a con for a subset of people, with its own well-worn rituals and behaviours. Interesting to watch, but I felt a little loose-endish. In programme and focus, it seems to have changed very little from 1979: horror ruled the day. Good things were Jasper fforde's GoH item, which was very poorly attended. a chance to catch up with various people, two truly superb Indian restaurants within two minutes walk and good beer most of the time. Bad things -- too much horror, a slightly grimy hotel and the tendency for the beer to run out in the evenings. Odd things: many people I almost recognised, but did not know -- fan-types, perhaps. Realising on the way home that we had spent our time exclusively with writers and editors. I now know why the pros all stick together. It's not snobbery, it's that they don't know anyone else. And something exciting happened which I'm not allowed to talk about yet.
I don't know if I'll go again: it was okay, but not gripping and the programme didn't excite me. I was on two items, one on Myth, which went very well, and one on New Writers which was less successful. Both had more audience than Mr fforde, which is just plain wrong.

In other news, here's a question: why is there so much written and performed about the Tudors? Even as I type, Radio 4 is reading yet another book about Elizabeth I. It has to be the most over-mined period in British history and (IMHO) one of the dullest. What on earth is the appeal? It baffles me.

Comments

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

Re the Tudors --

I think may be related to most of the things you mentioned, but really, I think it's mostly the soap-opera aspect. AFAICT, the popular legend of the Tudors goes something like this:

Tudors get rid of the Hunchback (ignore HVII's bean-counting and piety)

Henry VIII, one of the three perfect Renaissance kings, marries Catherine of Aragon (ooooh! big marriage that Goes All Wrong)

Break with Rome All For Love and Babies = Henry the hero

But wait! Beheaded!(Incest? Adultery?)
Died! (ah, what would have happened had she lived?)
Divorced! (some fat German, probably deserved it, boring cow)
Beheaded! (Hot! Teen! Sex! + adultery!)
... oh, and that last one survived, I guess... who was she?

Child king, protected by good Protestants from teh ebil Catholics, dies.

Lady Jane, a Tragedy in One Act (badly)

Bloody Mary -- mayhem, persecution, burning (watch Cranmer's hand sizzle!), phantom pregnancies

Young Elizabeth, friendless, abused, attacked on all sides, develops cunning and manipulative skills not unlike a GRRM heroine

Still being attacked. Mostly the ebil Catholics.

Dashing suitors, adulterous murder, but they only love her for her crown.

Her cousin did *what*?? Beheaded!

Some sea battle and some pirates privateers

How long can she live, bitter and alone?

Hahahahaha! Protestants win, James in charge, but is Very Boring and Unpleasant.

let's go watch the soap opera in France!







Also, who wouldn't go see Jasper Fforde?






ETA: also, John Dee.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Jasper fforde was fabulous. But the horror crowd didn't seem interested.

[inamac.livejournal.com]

I'd have gone for fforde alone - but (as Lil says, and as you found) the BFS is overly fond of horror, and has always been more of a pro than a fan con. As long ago as the 70s sidhe_woman and I made valliant attempts to drag in some 'light fantasy' but failed miserably (that was seen as a job for the Tolkien Society, with which the BFS had a love/hate relationship).

I keep hoping that the young blood being brought in through kids fantasy might re-create a British fantasy revival. Give it another 20 years...