(Untitled)

[sstormwatch]

So, it isn't just in the Renaissance Faire circuit I am in where it has become harder and harder to stay in character most of the time, and to keep the mundane speach out as well. It apparently hit the SCA as well, in the early 80s. I wonder if things have changed for them, and if so how? I wonder if something can be done to improve the Ren Faire

Comments

[ciorstan]

Cariadoc of the Bow is legendary in the SCA. He was King of the Middle Kingdom when war was declared the first time on the East, and when the first Pennsic War happened, he was King of the East.

I had the honor to meet him once. He is a Moorish noble down to his linen undershorts-- utterly believable. On a more 'ordinary life' note, while he was a professor at Santa Clara Law School, my youngest brother took a class from him, and was bemused that he seemed to be preoccupied with old Icelandic law.

[rwfranz]

Cariadoc's is a very nice website, filled with all sorts of information. I've read those particular pieces you point to before. Evidently he lives in San Jose (Kingdom of the West). His website is here.

I'm thinking that the answer to both questions is the same: there are a lot of people out there who are in it (Faire or SCA) for the sex, for the swords, for this or that or the other, but not in it for re-creating another time and another place.

We know that Faire ends at 6, and often we're glad it ends at 6, but why are we glad? Because for whatever reason, there are major chunks of Faire that are simply not enjoyed or enjoyable. We hate anticipating the politics, we hate the conniving bitterness, we despise the infighting and the trying to get the knives in the backs - because we'd far rather that everybody stop trying to have things all their own way. Or, at least, I hope that's what we think.

So I'm not sure, after thinking about it, that an "enchanted ground" approach will work at Faire, although it might.