Faire: Should it be Fantasy or Historically Accurate or a Mix?

[analise]

besides, they give us someone/something to make fun of.

Yep, while the people in mundanes are making fun of the people in Ren-garb.

(disclaimer: not everybody in mundanes, but I've seen more than a few who go to Faire for the express purpose of pointing and laughing at rennies so I feel safe in making this statement. Mostly because it seems silly to make fun of other people because of how they have fun. Unless they're in on the joke.)

I do, however, agree with you that Faire is the Fantasy.

[Anna Iram]

That's just it. It really is all fantasy. All "make believe". For myself I don't find the fae or other magical creatures the least bit out of place. To me it's part of the culture. Then as now there are some who believe and some who don't.  In my own home faire our Queen can see the fae and our King cannot.

I do think as has been said if one want's to experince a very particular slice of  time one should seek out a SCA event. That's really the only place I would expect to see anything coming close to HA.

Are these events open to the public? Or does one need to be a memeber to attend?

[Once Debauched]

  In my own home faire our Queen can see the fae and our King cannot.

THAT is totally kewl!

[Count Adolfo]

Don't forget that they have "fantasy fairies" where they explicitly encourage guests to come in all kinds of costumes.  There are fairies, dragons, wizards, as well as non-faire inspired costumes, including sci-fi.  All in all it would seem more appropriate to wear those costumes to that kind of event and at least attempt a more authentic renaissance style of dress at a ren faire.

Nah.
What I do is go to Sci Fi conventions in garb.
It's great having them all come up to me and ask me who I am... I usually tell them I'm from a book that is due out later this year.
Hey, they come to our events, why not go to theirs?

[Valiss]

Don't forget that they have "fantasy fairies" where they explicitly encourage guests to come in all kinds of costumes.  There are fairies, dragons, wizards, as well as non-faire inspired costumes, including sci-fi.  All in all it would seem more appropriate to wear those costumes to that kind of event and at least attempt a more authentic renaissance style of dress at a ren faire.

Nah.
What I do is go to Sci Fi conventions in garb.
It's great having them all come up to me and ask me who I am... I usually tell them I'm from a book that is due out later this year.
Hey, they come to our events, why not go to theirs?

That'sa ctually pretty damn funny.  I should have done this the time I stopped by a scifi convention.

[PurpleDragon]

Nah.
What I do is go to Sci Fi conventions in garb.
It's great having them all come up to me and ask me who I am... I usually tell them I'm from a book that is due out later this year.
Hey, they come to our events, why not go to theirs?

I may have to try this one at the next sci-fi con I go to. Sounds like fun to me.

[shirefriar]

I'd personally like to see them more historically accurate. This would also include the many side shows which are more or less vaudeville/anachronism type shows and seldom in character or historical. I know there's a handful of really great exceptions to that last statement. I'd love to see more of that.

[PurpleDragon]

I'd personally like to see them more historically accurate. This would also include the many side shows which are more or less vaudeville/anachronism type shows and seldom in character or historical. I know there's a handful of really great exceptions to that last statement. I'd love to see more of that.

While I am inclined to agree that there should be SOME historical accuracy, I think if you were to make it mandatory that all characters be as such, the faires would lose some of their appeal, and therefore many of the patrons. The fantasy characters are often times that which brings in the crowds, they want to see the new characters.  I remember TRF had a Goblin Horde a few years back and they were a crowd favorite... then they went away, now there's another Barbarian Horde, and a new court is being introduced this season.. All in the name of changing things up a bit so customers aren't saying "Oh, this show again this year??"

[Cobaltblu]

I was thinking about songs such as Wild Mountain Thyme, Health to the Company, The parting Glass and Wild Rover...and realized they aren't exactly H/A for Henry VIII or Elizabeth I...and I believe they are often included in song times at faires.

Any faire which includes these songs in song times isn't being H/A.  But they sure sound good though.

Regards,

CB

[Count Adolfo]

I love doing the Sci Fi shows...
personally, I'm not for the "historically accurate" because it would detract from our culture at Faire.
As it has been said here... there's likely more chivalry at one renaissance faire than there was in all the renaissance.
I like running water and bathing
I like many of the conveniences and creature comforts of today.
I think if we got TRULY historically accurate, very few people would go to Faire at all.

[Valiss]

I'd personally like to see them more historically accurate. This would also include the many side shows which are more or less vaudeville/anachronism type shows and seldom in character or historical. I know there's a handful of really great exceptions to that last statement. I'd love to see more of that.

While I am inclined to agree that there should be SOME historical accuracy, I think if you were to make it mandatory that all characters be as such, the faires would lose some of their appeal, and therefore many of the patrons. The fantasy characters are often times that which brings in the crowds, they want to see the new characters.  I remember TRF had a Goblin Horde a few years back and they were a crowd favorite... then they went away, now there's another Barbarian Horde, and a new court is being introduced this season.. All in the name of changing things up a bit so customers aren't saying "Oh, this show again this year??"

Some faires DO make it mandatory that you are historically accurate if you work there or otherwise gatelist there (NorCal faire, for example).  They check your garb, accent and all that fun stuff to make sure you are helping to recreate a piece of history.  Of course the paytrons will wear what they want, and that's fine.  But I tend to agree that if you are trying to create a specific atmosphere (i.e. the renaissance), then having your employees show up dressed as Gandalf or Harry Potter just isn't going to scream authenticity.  I think the people that show up and pay good money for the renaissance-type experience deserve to have the company that puts on faire strive to make that experience happen.

Again I have no problems with the paytrons showing up as whatever they want (though personally I would prefer if they choose to dress up that they attempt a renaissance-type costume, but whatever). And if you want to have witches, faries and all that, then why not put those characters on the stage (or street stage) where they can put on a performance as an actor. 

[Anna Iram]

Shirefriar, if you ever happen upon my little home faire of BARF be sure to see the "Kings Sing". Our King is the most wonderful baritone and accompanied by one or two minstrels he sings HA songs. Songs of the hunt and of wine and love. You'd love it!

[PurpleDragon]

I'd personally like to see them more historically accurate. This would also include the many side shows which are more or less vaudeville/anachronism type shows and seldom in character or historical. I know there's a handful of really great exceptions to that last statement. I'd love to see more of that.

While I am inclined to agree that there should be SOME historical accuracy, I think if you were to make it mandatory that all characters be as such, the faires would lose some of their appeal, and therefore many of the patrons. The fantasy characters are often times that which brings in the crowds, they want to see the new characters.  I remember TRF had a Goblin Horde a few years back and they were a crowd favorite... then they went away, now there's another Barbarian Horde, and a new court is being introduced this season.. All in the name of changing things up a bit so customers aren't saying "Oh, this show again this year??"

Some faires DO make it mandatory that you are historically accurate if you work there or otherwise gatelist there (NorCal faire, for example).  They check your garb, accent and all that fun stuff to make sure you are helping to recreate a piece of history.  Of course the paytrons will wear what they want, and that's fine.  But I tend to agree that if you are trying to create a specific atmosphere (i.e. the renaissance), then having your employees show up dressed as Gandalf or Harry Potter just isn't going to scream authenticity.  I think the people that show up and pay good money for the renaissance-type experience deserve to have the company that puts on faire strive to make that experience happen.

Again I have no problems with the paytrons showing up as whatever they want (though personally I would prefer if they choose to dress up that they attempt a renaissance-type costume, but whatever). And if you want to have witches, faries and all that, then why not put those characters on the stage (or street stage) where they can put on a performance as an actor. 

I think the main issue of the original post was the acts and such..  Unfortunately, there aren't that many Shakespearean trained acting troupes to fill the stages at the festivals to put on historically accurate shows and such. 

If you take the "fantasy" type characters out, or go for the historically accurate aspect, the Pirates have to go away as they are about 100 years before their time in most Faires.   

[Captain Jack Wolfe]

If you take the "fantasy" type characters out, or go for the historically accurate aspect, the Pirates have to go away as they are about 100 years before their time in most Faires.   

Common misconception.  The garb would have to change (thrum caps instead of tricorns, short jackets instead of justaucorps, etc), but the pirates would still be there.  Pirates have been around since Ogg paddled around in the water on a log and Brak decided he wanted the log and took it by force.

[PurpleDragon]

If you take the "fantasy" type characters out, or go for the historically accurate aspect, the Pirates have to go away as they are about 100 years before their time in most Faires.   

Common misconception.  The garb would have to change (thrum caps instead of tricorns, short jackets instead of justaucorps, etc), but the pirates would still be there.  Pirates have been around since Ogg paddled around in the water on a log and Brak decided he wanted the log and took it by force.

So what you're saying there Jack is that Brak had to fight with Ogg and then of course his feud with Zorak started and well we all know how that goes. ((bonus points for the first one to get the reference))