|
Post by Aldo N on Oct 25, 2006 22:33:30 GMT -6
I have not gone yet and wondered if anyone had any personal reviews from this year. Also, I heard TRF is going to move their start date back one week in 2007 and then extend into the Thanksgiving weekend.
|
|
|
Post by Dan Gorman on Oct 26, 2006 2:26:31 GMT -6
A good time was had by all in our group. Most the same acts with a few changes. We mostly just wander and people watch.
Dan
|
|
|
Post by schlager7 on Oct 26, 2006 7:39:01 GMT -6
My wife and I went on the opening day. Like Dan we mostly wandered and took in the day. We did catch the Falconer's show, a perenniel favorite of ours.
We also caught the Arte of Defense's second show of the day. I was a little disappointed. Of three "fights" only one involved any significant swordplay. While choreographed swordplay has inherent hazards if one does not rehearse with diligence, the actions do allow you to get away with a lot that the audience will never catch, even when they are as close as that stage allows.
One fight was largely punching with some other hand-to-hand work. The problem was that, when I am sitting less than 12 feet away every pulled punch and near miss is wayyyyyy obvious. Most of your audience won't know diddly about a swordfight, but it is reasonable to suppose that a fair percentage have been in some kind of tussle at least once or twice.
Another routine involved quarter staff combat. Like staged swordplay, there is a lot you can do with staff-to-staff impact and levered actions, where it fell apart, as with the punches earlier, was wth the staff blows on the performers. It's hard to "fake" that action convincingly at 12 feet.
My only other quibble might be the pacing, but I recognize that it was only their second show of the entire seaosn and still the first day. Tempo comes with practice and having an audience really does change everything.
On the whole, I thought the performers were pretty game, but some of the combat styles chosen would have worked better if they were not so close to the audience.
I didn't get a chance to catch Sound and Fury. I noticed Arsene was not there this year. I miss Wyndnwyre, who were also MIA when we went.
|
|
|
Post by fightgal on Nov 13, 2006 8:25:04 GMT -6
Hi all, I know I've been out of touch lately; I've been working on a massive project that just reached it's completion last night. I wrote, directed, choreographed and largely produced a "Medieval Madrigal Gala" to take the choir on a pilgrimage next year. I'm just now coming up for air and remembering the things I can do for fun, like check in and chat with you guys and gals. I haven't been to TRF yet because I've been so busy (I think I mentioned back in the summer, somewhere in this forum, that I did not renew my contract at TRF this year). I'm going up next weekend to visit. The fellow who took my position as Fight Director and the cast seem anxious for me to see what they've done with the show... As far as the other acts at TRF go, basically half of them were let go, and the other half had to agree to pull extra duty to keep their gig. The times, they are a-changin'. And I've also heard that they are extending the season again next year. Of course, from me that's just hearsay, until it's in print. ~Ann
|
|
|
Post by fox on Nov 13, 2006 9:08:50 GMT -6
As far as the other acts at TRF go, basically half of them were let go, and the other half had to agree to pull extra duty to keep their gig. The times, they are a-changin'. And I've also heard that they are extending the season again next year. Of course, from me that's just hearsay, until it's in print. ~Ann Sounds like King George may kill the goose that lays the golden eggs if he is not careful. Oh, and now that I'm in on the reference, early Happy George(tte) Spelvin Day, fightgal!
|
|
|
Post by kd5mdk on Nov 14, 2006 7:10:02 GMT -6
It was somewhat disappointing to have so many groups we liked not present, although it was very fortuitious that the Brobdingnagian Bards were there for their unannounced shows on the same weekend we were.
|
|
|
Post by DAMARIS on Nov 14, 2006 11:56:55 GMT -6
I was talkin with some people and we all seem to be dissapointed that we all went and didnt know each other we were going and stuff.... Then we were wondering if we could put a TRF day into to section calender next year.... What Do Yall Think?
|
|
|
Post by schlager7 on Nov 14, 2006 13:10:52 GMT -6
Then we were wondering if we could put a TRF day into to section calender next year.... What Do Yall Think? Fencers' Day at TRF? Why not?
|
|
|
Post by schlager7 on Nov 14, 2006 16:09:02 GMT -6
I'm just now coming up for air and remembering the things I can do for fun, like check in and chat with you guys and gals. and welcome back...
|
|
|
Post by DAMARIS on Nov 16, 2006 13:28:00 GMT -6
I wonder who are the person that i would ask about that?? anybody know?
|
|
|
Post by DAMARIS on Nov 16, 2006 13:29:09 GMT -6
I wonder who are the person that i would ask about that?? anybody know?
|
|
|
Post by Damaris on Nov 16, 2006 13:30:35 GMT -6
Sorry for the repeat... Sorry for the repeat system glitch.... system glitch
|
|
|
Post by schlager7 on Nov 17, 2006 16:09:55 GMT -6
I wonder who are the person that i would ask about that?? anybody know? On reflection, I doubt we could interest the SW Section or any of the USFA divisions to organize something like that. Still, it would be easy enough for everyone interested to start organizing on this board. I know if a group started getting serious about a date I'd promote it here and on the rogue Gulf Coast Division site.
|
|
|
Post by fox on Dec 5, 2006 14:03:50 GMT -6
I know it is over for 2006, but I found this "commentary" by a "regular" and thought it was interesting. I will be making an editorial deletion or two.
Can you say "scathing"?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chameleon's Commentary Corner (old school edition) [...] So this TRF started out hopeful, as there was no hurricane and gas prices fell back down to “normal” (if you want to call it normal). Yet attendance was poor none-the-less. Hey, I have an Idea! After the worst five years (attendance wise) in TRF history let’s raise the price of beer, turkey legs, food in general, add a camping fee then raise the camping fee. But for heavens sake, NOT lower ticket costs….geniuses! Lets also have a celtic themed weekend with no guiness! What’s interesting to note, is that I have always heard that they (management) doesn’t like us (regulars-rennies) and that there focus is on the mundane, cause that is where the money is. Yet rennies are the only ones (in mass) that are willing to pay the price of admission! lol…maybe they should give a discount for NOT being in garb! Bottom line. They need a better advertising campaign. I’m sure somehow this statement may make its way back to the person in charge of advertising. Let it be known that I am sure its not his/her fault. You have to spend money to make money. And I’m sure s/he wasn’t allotted enough in their budget to make it happen. All I know, is that other than an interview with the queen on a local radio station, and a total of three radio commercials- they was no mass advertising for the faire. I would have grabbed all the free promotional passes and handed them out to all the locall businesses that advertise on a weekly basis. i.e. like that crazy looking furniture guy “and that’s a fact jack” (Houston refrence). All he would have to say was that he was giving out TRF tickets, and that would have been all the advertisement we needed. Car dealerships too. But I did here from someone that a car dealer was, in fact, giving out tickets but I never saw it mentioned in commercials. As for the camping- I can see a necessity for charging as there is a high population in the camp that don’t even come into the faire. And also the locals that used to come out there for a good time cant just walk in the door now. And truly, if you didn’t get $10 worth of fun in the campgrounds, you belong in family camping! Which is another thing, WHAT THE [deleted] IS THE DEAL WITH ALL THE KIDS!!! I have never seen so many stink’n kids around the drum jam at midnight, don’t their parents have brains? [Rigor]: (points) “family camping is over there!” [...] Now that the season is over, let me remind the “West Side Rennies” that we gather for a Sunday night dinner every Sunday at a random “west side” house (Katy, Texas). [...] I guess that’s it for now.
|
|
|
Post by DAMARIS on Dec 5, 2006 15:52:59 GMT -6
HEY HAS ANYBODY EVER HEARD OF THIS FAIRE?? www.excaliburfaire.com/ I just found in on the net and Im suposing that i never heard of it cause it sucks...... ya think? Yet its closer to austin so that a big plus for me.
|
|
|
Post by LongBlade on Dec 5, 2006 17:28:13 GMT -6
HEY HAS ANYBODY EVER HEARD OF THIS FAIRE?? www.excaliburfaire.com/ I just found in on the net and Im suposing that i never heard of it cause it sucks...... ya think? Yet its closer to austin so that a big plus for me. It's just new. I heard some good things about it.
|
|
|
Post by Damaris on Dec 6, 2006 9:37:19 GMT -6
Kick ass! Im going! Its cheaper too!
|
|
|
Post by schlager7 on Dec 6, 2006 9:39:11 GMT -6
It is new relative to the Texas Renaissance Festival or Scarborough Faire, but it has a few years under its belt.
My understanding is that they recently moved to a new location in 2005 or 2006. It's emphasis is more fanstasy than history. Being smaller than TRF or Scarby you probably can "do it all" in an hour or two, maybe more.
That said, I have grown fond of the smaller faires. Like some small fencing clubs I know, what they may lack in "superstars" they make up for in a very real love of what they are doing... and it shows.
Texas, in fact, has quite a few smaller faires:
Excalibur Fantasy Faire Dale, TX
Four Winds Renaissance Faire Troup, TX
Ingleside Renaissance Faire Ingleside, TX
Middlefaire Hillsboro, TX
Ravensloft Renaissance Faire Emory, TX
Tablerock Renaissance Fantasy Faire Salado, TX
Many of these are single-weekend events, but can offer a great mini-escape for a day. I, myself, have not visited them all as yet. That said, my current favorite of the smaller faires is Four Winds which features competitive (i.e., NOT choreographed) jousting.
Indeed, one of their cadre of knights is a member of this forum as Sir Stefan Von Ziegler and, during their competition season last year, sent us running reports on who was ahead in points (Think of it as a circuit cup with two tournaments each Saturday and Sunday for about four weeks.)
I don't know that I'd say Excalibur is unknown because it "sucks." They have smaller advertizing dollars to spend and are nowhere near the Disneyland-with-Swords/Cleaveage/Mead that TRF and Scarby are. They have been around since 1998 in one form/place or another, so they must be doing something right.
|
|
|
Post by fightgal on Jan 29, 2007 14:23:34 GMT -6
I'm rather fond of the smaller faires, myself. Excalibur is a very relaxed gig for the entertainers, so they're generally having fun, and that translates to fun for the audience (one hopes...). ~Ann
|
|