Faire: Should it be BAWDY or not or a mix? Ratings Systems for Acts?

[jfdonohoe]

I think a mix is a good thing and can even be segregated up to point (i'm not talking about a 20ft x 20ft beer garden... thats just cramped and lame).  I think there can be an arm of the faire layout that declairs "beyond this point, there be raunchy songs, beer and sexual innuendo".  There is an obvious market for that and many of the adult attendees want it.

The Poxy Boggards at the So Cal faire has a NC-17 sign posted in front of their stage (which is set at the very back of the faire) and they do mean NC-17.  I have seen a father starting to sit down on a hay bale with his two very young sons in the middle of a raunchy song and without missing a beat one of the actors picked up the NC-17 sign, held it high, vigorously shaking his head "noooo!  you dont want to be here" to the father.  The dad smiled, nodded to the singers and promptly left.

[will paisley]

I have seen Christophe multiple times tell parents "Really, I'm not kidding, this is Not going to be family friendly, I strongly encourage you to take your children elsewhere" only to have parents sit there and stare at him as if they don't have any idea who the children belong to.

I saw the same thing at the White Hart Tavern the year Christophe was at MDRF.  A couple came in with their toddlers, waded through the crowd of drunks, and plopped down at the picnic tables, blissfully unaware of the show and clearly coming in only for the seating.  Shortly thereafter, Christophe started his first ode, entitled "Your Balls".

Given that it took them a good five minutes to get everybody situated, it was hilarious to see the parents snatch up their kids and belongings and go flying out of the place in a matter of seconds - the kids were practically flapping behind them like a couple of pennants.

[PurpleDragon]

I'm sitting in camp one night, and a performer (Only using this term because I honestly do NOT remember her name as this was a few years ago.. I know her on sight though), comes in to say hello and share an adult beverage. She sees my daughter sitting there, the look on her face is pure "OMG, You are at all my shows", My daughter gets up and comes over gives me a hug and says "Good Night Dad", and the perfomer breaths again... She finally realized that since this child is MINE, her sitting at their shows is not so bad.. I smile and tell her "Well, at least I know where to find her at the times your show is on now don't I"? 

[Lady_Glorianna]

It should me a mix. Let's be honest, nothing will be said at faire that kids will not hear at school and for some the jjokes go over their heads. One of the best systems I have seen is at the Carolina where in the programs acts that might be questionable are designated LC for loose cannon and it also states that anything goes mainly PG13. In addition, stages have signs that read "this show is rated" with hooks where the rating placard can be hung. That is where we see the Tortugas whoc an take advantage of the system and even change the rating for the last show to R or further...

[cyfnos]

One time an acquantance I knew asked me what "pg-13" meant at Bristol, and could she bring her daughter.  I remember looking at her and replying "pg-13 here means 'R'"

For me definately mixed. That way, the families and other people who are not interested in the bawdy can still attend and find entertainment.  To be honest, there are days myself, where I just want to hear the pretty music or it's equivalent.  Most days tho' I have to admit I am usually one of the first to laugh at an off color comment at a performance- or an off color performance.

Most fairs seem to try to keep the bawdy in the pub, but, as it has been pointed out, people usually stare clueless at the performer(s).

[Lady Eriu]

As a Board member for a small Faire myself, I feel that a mix for all ages and levels of sophistication is all good. One of our performing groups, The Cherry Tarts, gives a rating and disclaimer,"If your kids don't know where they come from, they will after our show!" They do a little bit of veiled humor to give parents time to remove their kids. Hey-if the kids understood it, it is not the performers' faults, anyway. There are several kid-friendly acts and activities at our Faire for young ones, so there are options out there. And anyway, the really bawdy stuff usually takes place as the day wanes, or is in the Tavern where smalls are discouraged. It's every one for themselves after-hours so we have a cerfew of 9pm for our on-site participants' children so they have limited exposure to more bawdy entertainments after Faire closes to the public for the day.

[Emerald Shaunassey]

As a stage show owner, my motto is "I will not willingly 'educate' anyone under the age of 18."  My troupe has a self imposed rating of PG-13 due to the double entendre that runs amuck in the majority of our shows.  That being said, we do have PG-G shows that we throw out during a faire day because we all like a lil' good clean humor. 

We do display our "disclaimer banner" at the start of our "Pyrate Boot Camp" show and do inform the audience that if anyone under the age of 18 gets the jokes, "Don't blame us! As we've just met you all."  It gives the parents and children a chance to leave the audience without any ruffled feathers.  'Course, you cannot please everyone 100% of the time - there will always be someone who is offended (nothing like an irate mother who loudly declaims "how can you show off your ... your... thingies!" while pointing to bodiced boosoms.  Bless the Puritans, LOL) 

The rare times when I get to attend faire as a playtron, I appreciate the mixture of PG-G and PG- Not G.  I do like Christophe the Insulter and love Irish & Rose, Puke & Snot.  By the same token, I dearly love the Gypsy Bard in the children's realm at KCRF.  So AYE, a mixture of ratings says I!  A solid "diet" of one type of show makes for a very boring day at faire.

My tuppence.

Emerald

[bershokwench]

Should faires be BAWDY or not or a mix?

it should be bawdy for the adults anf fun for the kids as well

[Sir James of Milford]

I say go for BAWDY.....let the childs wonder what we are al laughing about......

[will paisley]

One thing I've noticed is that faire management seems to be a lot more "uptight" about potentially offensive material than the patrons.  My act is only "faire bawdy", meaning that the naughty bits are all double entendre and innuendo.  Still, you'd think I was giving an illustrated presentation of penetrative sex acts based on some of the scrutiny I've received over the years.  I finally quit worrying about it when I sang a song referencing various private parts and sex acts in terms of classic Irish imagery (ending with an altar boy reference) to a group of Mormons and a father with his seven year old son (whom I took the precaution to warn before I began the song).  Everybody laughed, and nobody complained a bit.  Later that day I sang Johnny Came Home Headless and the Irish Ballad to a mother and her four year old and six year old girls, and the girls yelled "Sing another one!" each time I ended.  Honestly, the songs people have taken the most offense to involve unflattering references to the Irish or Scots, not risquè humor.

[Capt Robertsgrave Thighbiter]

Faire without bawdy is BORING! Now, The Brigands is mildy bawdy, actually a lot more violent then bawdy, since a good pirate song is either about drinking, women or dying in some horrible fashion.

BUT, we do a joint "Bawdy Show" when we are at the same faire as the Bawdy Buccaneers ( friends of ours), that is a last show of the day deal, and it is no holds barred X rated .
We always announce several time that it starts out at X and decends from there. 
We do one tune that almost got us kicked out of the Connecticut Renaisannce Faire.  Twice!
Now, the owner makes SURE he is at that show, arms crossed, and either nodding yes or no, to each verse.  We do another one called "The Period Song" for those who claim we dont do any period music ( we actually do) that has a line that goes ".. just tastes like some old rusty coins", so you get an idea.

That show is one of the best attended ones , every weekend and every year we have been there.  Usualy SRO.  So I deduce that Bawdy does have a place at faire!

[meauho]

I prefer the Bawdy myself, but I understand that there needs to be stuff for the younger viewers.

Christophe was brought up earlier, and he is at TRF as well.  I wish that they would find a new location to put him there - he is in the middle of the Greek area and anybody getting Greek food must ....listen to.... his show or plan trips to avoid when he is on stage, which may not be convenient.  As I am not exactly a fan, this is kind of annoying.  When I take young family members, it is a lot more than annoying.

Sound and Fury plays on a different stage at TRF - where people have an option of hearing/ watching or not.  They always warn people - especially with kids.  Invariably, it isn't until the show starts that somebody will decide that the kids shouldn't actually be there.  I tend to find this disturbing, because if anybody has ever seen the warnings that they give, it starts off with "take your kids away", goes into male body parts, dirty sex jokes, and then gets pretty bad -- and people stay through all of this with their kids.  From what I understand, they are getting new "NC 17" signs for next year (at their own request - changing from PG 13).

[PollyPoPo]

I realize this is an old topic, but I just got around to reading it.

Personally I'm in favor of a mix of entertainment at Faires, from PG through bawdy.  I'd not even object to acts close to XXX, within legal limits, provided it is segregated and Ids checked at the door.  With one exception/one time, all of the adult oriented acts I've seen have placards, make announcements, and even actually shoo youngsters out.  Families get to make the choice.  (I saw one instance at TRF with the Insulter who was sprung on an audience with kids.)

While some faire-goers would prefer adults only, families with children do attend faire.  Like it or not, Faire is a business now and that means getting in as many people as they can. 

Perhaps someone will find a way to make an adult only faire profitable.   Or it could be a member only venue, like a country club.  Until then, we're stuck with both ends of the spectrum.

Polly

[Merlin the Elder]

never a bad idea to turn over the topsoil, Polly...

I personally think that people in this country are a bit stiff-necked about sex—Puritanical is probably a good word. If parents would be less worried about how much their kids know about sex, and more worried about how they handle said knowledge, we would all be better off. As my son grew up, I was much more concerned with TV/movie violence than I was with him seeing a naked body. But that's just my take on it.

Having said that, it is simple courtesy to let an audience know that there may be some blue content in the show, and as others have pointed out, if the parents ignore the warning, then it's their own fault.

From what I have seen at Scarborough, the most suggestive acts have been on the northernmost stages. I think that's a fair way of providing a reasonable amount of segregation for those acts so that parents can avoid the areas, if they so choose.

[Craigmeister]

I think not bawdy.  It takes more creativity to make people laugh & keep them entertained when the material is clean.  Good, clean comedy reminds me of a lot of the t.v. shows of the 70's & 80's.