Lions, Kit Theft, Jack the Giant Killer, Insurrection, Kenilworth, Gunpowder Plot, Southsea.
The Lions event was kind of meh. It seemed to be enjoyed by most of the people who still like that kind of thing, but frankly I spent most of my time pretty bored and was glad I took some work research with me.
An increasing number of gigs was extremely welcome as March waned into April, but it's money I shan't see for a little while yet since most of it has to go on paying off debts racked up during the lean winter months. Worse, some of it will have to go on replacing a bagful of costume and instruments that was stolen. Having done a gig with the medieval band, I reasoned that I wouldn't need that set of costume or any of my instruments until our next gig a week and a half later so left my kit with them. A couple of nights later, their van was broken into and among the things stolen was my rucksack containing about a grand and a half of kit. Needless to say, I was not best pleased, especially since the re-enactment fair when I could have most easily purchased/ordered replacements had been and gone and all the makers I trust most will now have waiting lists that stretch into the late summer. Worst of all, however, is the knowledge that the kit has most likely ended up at the bottom of a canal when the thieves realised that they'd taken nothing they could use or know how to sell.
There's a new scenario running at Hampton Court Palace which is actually much the same as the old one (now Catherine Howard instead of Katherine Parr and Thomas Culpepper instead of Thomas Seymour, but otherwise all fairly familiar), but the introduction of it was enormously complicated by the Palace being used as a set for a movie called Jack the Giant Killer. The market they built in the two main courtyards looked amazing and there were a couple of days when we got to do a scene inn a space that they'd dressed but weren't filming in yet, but for the most part it was a pain in the arse.
Insurrection was a good event, but I was kind of off my game, made all the wrong choices and ended up having a frustrating and disheartening IC time of it. I hear everyone else's war stories and wish that I'd had their experience rather than my own. That'll teach me to try and encourage disparate rebel factions to unite to be a more effective force against oppression rather than simply encourage them to give me all their money, I guess. Still, Hendrik remains among the increasingly few characters who have survived every event so far which makes him kind of nails but also kind of a target and trophy... Event 6 is in October and I'm already looking forward to it.
I was at Kenilworth Castle over Easter weekend playing music with Trouvere as part of English Heritage's 'Knight's Tournament' series of events. Glorious weather, a really good event and nice to see some folk from my time at Warwick Castle who I haven't seen for years.
This week I've been mostly plotting to blow up Parliament as Guy Fawkes in 'Prisoners of the Tower'. I haven't actually been getting tortured, yet I have a wound on my head and my arms and legs hurt.
Biggest news, however, is that TF16 is now definitely go. This year, Portsmouth City Council invited tenders for the provision 'Tudors at Southsea Castle', despite having sent me an email last November that was essentially a letter of intent. Since the contract was for three years rather than the usual year to year thing, I jumped through the appropriate hoops, was invited to interview last week and this evening received the email confirming that I'd won the contract. After devising and writing the thing in the first place and directing and performing in it for the last fifteen years, I should damn well hope so!
An increasing number of gigs was extremely welcome as March waned into April, but it's money I shan't see for a little while yet since most of it has to go on paying off debts racked up during the lean winter months. Worse, some of it will have to go on replacing a bagful of costume and instruments that was stolen. Having done a gig with the medieval band, I reasoned that I wouldn't need that set of costume or any of my instruments until our next gig a week and a half later so left my kit with them. A couple of nights later, their van was broken into and among the things stolen was my rucksack containing about a grand and a half of kit. Needless to say, I was not best pleased, especially since the re-enactment fair when I could have most easily purchased/ordered replacements had been and gone and all the makers I trust most will now have waiting lists that stretch into the late summer. Worst of all, however, is the knowledge that the kit has most likely ended up at the bottom of a canal when the thieves realised that they'd taken nothing they could use or know how to sell.
There's a new scenario running at Hampton Court Palace which is actually much the same as the old one (now Catherine Howard instead of Katherine Parr and Thomas Culpepper instead of Thomas Seymour, but otherwise all fairly familiar), but the introduction of it was enormously complicated by the Palace being used as a set for a movie called Jack the Giant Killer. The market they built in the two main courtyards looked amazing and there were a couple of days when we got to do a scene inn a space that they'd dressed but weren't filming in yet, but for the most part it was a pain in the arse.
Insurrection was a good event, but I was kind of off my game, made all the wrong choices and ended up having a frustrating and disheartening IC time of it. I hear everyone else's war stories and wish that I'd had their experience rather than my own. That'll teach me to try and encourage disparate rebel factions to unite to be a more effective force against oppression rather than simply encourage them to give me all their money, I guess. Still, Hendrik remains among the increasingly few characters who have survived every event so far which makes him kind of nails but also kind of a target and trophy... Event 6 is in October and I'm already looking forward to it.
I was at Kenilworth Castle over Easter weekend playing music with Trouvere as part of English Heritage's 'Knight's Tournament' series of events. Glorious weather, a really good event and nice to see some folk from my time at Warwick Castle who I haven't seen for years.
This week I've been mostly plotting to blow up Parliament as Guy Fawkes in 'Prisoners of the Tower'. I haven't actually been getting tortured, yet I have a wound on my head and my arms and legs hurt.
Biggest news, however, is that TF16 is now definitely go. This year, Portsmouth City Council invited tenders for the provision 'Tudors at Southsea Castle', despite having sent me an email last November that was essentially a letter of intent. Since the contract was for three years rather than the usual year to year thing, I jumped through the appropriate hoops, was invited to interview last week and this evening received the email confirming that I'd won the contract. After devising and writing the thing in the first place and directing and performing in it for the last fifteen years, I should damn well hope so!