Discworld Convention 2012 - Part One

[daibhidc]

Since I've now got a laptop, I've made the questionable decision to write my con report while I'm actually at the convention, during a brief period when stuff isn't happening. The advantage of this is that it's marginally less likely I'll forget stuff. The disadvantage is that I'm still on a convention high and may be a bit confused. So here's my recollection of yesterday and Friday in this celebration of Professor Sir Dr Dr Dr Dr Dr Terry Pratchett D. Lit, D. Lit, D. Lit, D. Lit, D. Lit, OBE, Blackboard Monitor[1]

We arrived at the hotel on Thurdsay, which gave us time for a daytrip to Stratford on Friday, following which we just barely made it back in time for the opening ceremony,

The theme of the convention is the early books, so the opening ceremony began with a version of the Broken Drum bar fight from The Colour of Magic, in this version being fought over the last bottle of beer, which was finally claimed by Pterry's assistant, Rob. This victory was short lived, because Pterry cried "Get him, Dodger!" and the title character of the latest book smashed the bottle over Rob's head.

After that the Chairman arrived to give the usual announcements, including the sad fact Bernard couldn't make it due to illness. Thanks to the wonders of technology, he was able to appear live on the Dysk's[1] screen to apologise for this.

The other Friday event was Terry and Rob's Bedtime Stories. We got a chunk of Dodger, which went abiut a chapter over the Waterstones sampler, and would probably have gone on forever if we all hadn't been forced to leave.

On Saturday, we picked up our signed bookplates (Pterry sadly no longer being in a condition where he can do signing queues) and signed Bernard's card. We went to some Unseen University Lectures by Jaqueline Simpson (about how folklore was collected ... and sometimes changed to fit what Victorian folklorists thought folklore should be); Jack Cohen (about some of the theories he came up with for the upcoming SoDIV) and Ian Stewart (about the mathematics of animal coat patterns.) Sadly missed silly_swordsman's weaponry talk because we were still having breakfast.

The GoH interview was fascinating. A lot of stuff about what he's been doing recently with the upcoming orangutan documentary, and his trip to Hobbition. Also tantalising hints about upcoming works:
* The novel he's currently working on involves Moist von Lipwig
* The Roundworld inspiration for Constable Haddock has been told Haddock's fate.
* He's worked out how to do a book set in Hwondaland, and it's on the list. "It will have parody in it, but not in the way you might expect".

Looking at that list, I feel sure I've missed another exciting hint that dropped into the conversation somewhere. And that was yesterday; see why I didn't wait to do this when I got home?

There were a number of Discworld gameshows dotted about the programme, but so far I've missed most of them. I could the tail end of Strangely Fascinating, the quiz where you gain points for being Fascinating, and lose them for being obvious. Similarities to any Roundworld quiz are conincidental, but quite interesting. Stephen Briggs - surprisingly for the man who "knows more about Discworld than Terry Pratchett" - seemed to have been cast as Alan Davies, and lived up to this role admirably, getting minus something ridiculous. Jaqueline Simpson won.

Somewhere in the middle of all that I found time to visit Sator Square (the dealer room) and buy some stamps. I also had a look round the fanart gallery, which was incredible. I'd been thinking of taking in an amusing cartoon I'd done, now I'm very glad I forgot because it would just have been embarrassing.

This is also pretty much why I didn't enter the Maskerade. Four years ago, I won the Journeyman Category with a startlingly original idea, and now I don't feel I can enter until I have another startlingly original idea. Watching all the startlingly original ideas on display (a one woman show with both Weatherwax sisters! A one man show with Rincewind, Twoflower and a remote-controlled Luggage! Puppets of Lord V., Death, Terry and Rob!) confirmed this feeling. And it doesn't help that musical talent appears to be de reguer now and I can't carry a tune in a bucket (I blame ssirienna ... who was brilliant again.)[3]

The usual Maskerade-related hilarity that would be impossible to explain to anyone who hasn't been at a DiscCon ... and possibly to anyone who hasn't been to every DiscCon. (I was there and I'm still not clear how the duck thing started.)

And as usual, I failed to pace myself and was far too exhausted to make it to the Hedgehog Party 8-(. Next year, I hope.

End of Part One. (I'll write about today once it's over!)

[1]That's what Pat Harking called him at the Maskerade, anyway.

[2]The main programme room, named after the premiere theatre of Ankh-Morpork.

[3] Having said that, I have had a brilliant idea for next time ... I think.

Comments

[sabremeister]

I also am a little unclear as to how/why the duck thing started, although apparently it began while we were both in the green room for the 2008 Maskerade - which is probably why we're unclear about it.

Thanks

[hereatwitsend.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting such an interesting overview of the UK Con. I've shared it with the members of the Seamstress Guild on our FB page (we're getting ready for the US Discworld con in Baltimore in 2013)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Discworld-Seamstress-Guild-of-North-America/101255973314785

Regards from the US,

Djc