Steampunk Crossover

[Lady Nicolette]

Well said, everyone.  Thanks to all for keeping this a friendly, informative and honest discussion.

[Gauwyn of Bracknell]

I did see a post somewhere that the privys should look like a tardis, so it looks like time travelers coming out of them.

(Just for the record, I ditto Renee - their day, their way, but I do not have to like it )

[Captain Jack Wolfe]

Yeah, that joke has been around as long as the show, 50 years and counting. 

[Lady Nicolette]

Both the Faire and The Doctor are about 50 years old...coincidence?   

[Rani Zemirah]

Period or not period... Fairies are decidedly NOT period to Renaissance England, and neither are Golden Age Pirates or Wizards.  No one would have seen ANY of them walking the streets of ANY village or city in England during that time, or any other country in the land, either.  Oh, and the whole Roman Bacchanal theme?  Right out... along with all of the lovely men in kilts!  No matter what people BELIEVED at the time... what people SAW was JUST... people... walking around going about their business, dressed in the manner befitting their "station in life".  Same with any point in the Medieval era (because even Wizards were called "advisers")... no matter what people believed, it's what they actually saw in their day to day lives that was the reality.  So if people are going to be so insistent that this one thing (Steampunk) does not belong, then none of these other things belong, either.  Take away all of your pirates, all of your Fairies, your Wizards and kilted Scots, and you might as well just take away the magic of Faire, itself... because that's what will happen.  When only one version of something is accepted as being valid, or worthy, to the exclusion of all else... then the magic of that thing begins to die. 

And then you might as well just go spend the day at work, because there won't be much real difference, at all...

[Lady Nicolette]

I have to say that the original faires didn't have a lot of those characters, but still retained a magical feel without them.  No faire can be completely authentic, but the faires in the era that I started with were just as transporting, although they were different than what they have morphed into.  There are pluses and minuses to any, to be completely honest, at least from the standpoint of having seen them in pretty much all of their incarnations.

[DonaCatalina]

I have to say that the original faires didn't have a lot of those characters, but still retained a magical feel without them.  No faire can be completely authentic, but the faires in the era that I started with were just as transporting, although they were different than what they have morphed into.  There are pluses and minuses to any, to be completely honest, at least from the standpoint of having seen them in pretty much all of their incarnations.

yep

[Merlin the Elder]

Faeries and wizards were part of the Celtic folklore. True, they didn't walk the streets, but they were period legends. Storm-troopers, Darth Vader, Steampunk,  and Dr Who were not part of the legends, and Roman centurions were long-gone.

Pirates and kilts were not part of Henry VIII era, as you said, but I'm not going to be the one to tell our (Scarby) Queen Margaret she cannae have her kilted guard about her!    In the grand scheme of things, the kilted Scots and pirates are not considered by the general, less-than-historically-aware public to be out of place.

My main objection to this at the Renaissance and Medieval  faires is that at some, it has become nothing more than a costume party. That's okay, if that's what you want to go to, but personally, I don't. There are so many conventions all over now for the comic book and steampunk characters, they don't need to invade the Ren faires.

[Lady Nicolette]

You can't really control who wears what to Faire that isn't with the Faire...But I do have to say that I object to Faires accepting outside-of-the-faire scope merchandise...Not saying that the merch has to be h/a, but at least make a reasonable attempt (ie not sell steampunk stuff).  And the cast should reflect the tenor of the Faire, be it Medieval, Renaissance or whatever, as should the entertainment.  Music can be played in the style of, if not actual period music (please, no completely unadulterated bluegrass!), and I really still prefer non-amplified shows and music (or at least well-hidden amplification).

[Welsh Wench]

Fortunately there is always a place for a wench! 

[Lady Nicolette]

No argument there! 

[Merlin the Elder]

You can't really control who wears what to Faire that isn't with the Faire...

....Music can be played in the style of, if not actual period music (please, no completely unadulterated bluegrass!), and I really still prefer non-amplified shows and music (or at least well-hidden amplification).

Yeah, I know that the costumes cannot be controlled. ... and I do consider them just costumes when they veer so far from the feel and atmosphere of the faire.

My hearing isn't what it used to be, so I appreciate the acts that use some amplification so that I can hear what is going on. Otherwise, I have to make sure I get to the show site 20 minutes early to ensure a front-row seat. The sound systems do need to be well-hidden.  They ALSO need to be well-maintained! Hearing static and distortion because the batteries in the transmitters need replacing pretty much sucks.

A group at Sherwood plays nothing but old music AND instruments. I have never in my life seen so many strange and fascinating instruments as they use. Their music is un-amplified, and centuries-old. They explain where it came from, who wrote it, if known, and my wife and I find it a wonderful program. Sad to say that not many stop by in support.

[Gauwyn of Bracknell]

A group at Sherwood plays nothing but old music AND instruments. I have never in my life seen so many strange and fascinating instruments as they use. Their music is un-amplified, and centuries-old. They explain where it came from, who wrote it, if known, and my wife and I find it a wonderful program. Sad to say that not many stop by in support.

What group is that?

[RenStarr]

Gauwyn,
I believe the group Merlin is referring to is the "Worthy Waites of Whimsey".  I've taken in a few of their shows myself at Sherwood.  They give history of the songs they sing as well as history of some of the instruments they play also.  Interesting show that does give one a feel of period music. 
Here's a web address:  http://www.worthywaites.com/

[Rowan MacD]

A group at Sherwood plays nothing but old music AND instruments. I have never in my life seen so many strange and fascinating instruments as they use. Their music is un-amplified, and centuries-old. They explain where it came from, who wrote it, if known, and my wife and I find it a wonderful program. Sad to say that not many stop by in support.

Would that be Musica Antiqua by any chance?
http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua//images/photo38.htm
  They were a staple at the now defunct  (and much lamented) Renaissance faire of the Midlands in Council Bluffs, Ia.   They played to small audiences by preference, and were always full, but they don't play Renaissance faires here anymore.

  The RFotM went on for 25 years and stayed about 95% true to the original Renaissance Faire 'feel'.   
   Because it was held on a college campus RFotM had no permanent buildings-just some wooden gates and stages that were put in storage between faires-but they managed to be very well attended in spite of being a tent faire with no alcohol. 
  The main complaint was long lines and nightmarish patron parking.
  They protected the ambiance by separating the modernized acts like Tortuga Twins, Jolly Rogers and Musical blades along with the vendors of the Japanese swords and other junk into a different area of the grounds from the vendors of hand made goods.   
    At the other end of the grounds; un-amped musicians, period acts, a fairy Glen, drench-a-wench and entertainment like the joust-which more closely represented the 'era' of the faire were located among the trees and in colorful tents.
  I loved that fact that you could attend the 'real' Renaissance faire, then had the options to go over and see the rest of it if you want.
When the RFotM moved to Westfaire, started serving alcohol and allowing more junk vendors in, the Patronage that allowed them to pay the name acts like Tartanic, et al. dried up.
   Within a couple of years they resembled a flea market with a joust, and folded shortly thereafter.