Triumph - Ssrienna's Story Part 3

by Jan Uzzell (Ssrienna)

Saturday

This was crunch day! I’d spent most of the last 2 years planning a Maskerade entry, having enjoyed watching the 2006 and 2008 shows. I’d not felt confident enough to try a main character so was looking for a minor one or even a pen picture and, as I love music, I thought I’d try the musically themed ones first.

That’s when I re-read Maskerade and had the eureka moment on reading the Departure Aria description again. It’s always made me smile – the 17 stone lady pretending to be the 17-year-old consumptive in those sorts of opera and I was more than qualified to do that!! The bits of information about Dame Violetta Gigli in the book say that she originally sang the aria (well enough to inspire Dr Undershaft into a career of music) and that she once squashed a tenor.

I asked my music teacher to write me a piece of music suitable for the 6 lines we get in the book, having explained the background first and he produced a wonderfully bittersweet track, Lottie very kindly made me the hooped underskirt and another friend made the overskirt and shawl. I then wrote out the subtitles and created my 2D tenor to attach to the back of me! That’s when 1 month before the Con, I realised I needed someone to turn the cards, and my good friend Min volunteered. We did wonder about making her a dwarf, in honour of the Low King, but ended up with Walter Plinge, as it was more in keeping with the story.

So Saturday was spent being nice to the lovely people in the Maskerade Tech rehearsal – many thanks to Pam and Miss Treason, not to mention Shadow Dave and the wonderful people in the Green Room.

I did manage to do other things too! I caught (by accident) The Deterministic Monkey Theorem by Ian Stewart (having got the room wrong and thought I was in CSI: Ankh-Morpork) but it was fascinating and I’m glad I made the mistake! I was also then in the right place for Jaqueline Simpson’s spellbinding talk on “Elves: Nasty or Nice?” which was spiced up by the attendance of Periwinkle in her Queen of the Elves persona.

She “froze” Jaqueline and said she would be sat amongst us to listen to this mortal’s speech and that there would be retribution if she didn’t like what she heard! Jaqueline then “awoke” and apologised for being dizzy. It was a wonderful talk but, of course, towards the end she mentioned something that Her Elvish Majesty took exception to. However, Jaqueline was ready with a steel poker, having talked to Susan Sto-Helit! Most enjoyable!

I managed to catch “The Man in the Hat” interview with Terry which was lovely and even got into Sator Square, where the lovely people relieved me of some of the bothersome cash I had on me (thanks Gemma for that lovely image – pinched from her Con report!) Then it was show time!

Lottie very kindly helped me dress – laced me into corset, hoops and lastly the huge skirt. Then with other props in hand, we made our way downstairs. I had wanted OTT opera and by the Gods, I think I achieved it! In fact, on the way to the Green Room, several lovely people stopped me for photos and even gave me some hall tokens!!

Once in the Green Room the nerves started, but there were so many other lovely costumes and people in there that I soon got too interested nattering to others to worry. The only annoyance was, with Herr Kartoffelpuffer on my skirt, I couldn’t sit down and the hoops were so temperamental, I couldn’t use the crutch – sigh! We checked where our duo act was so Min could check how much time she had to change. She was helping me but also had her own routine as Lady Margolotta at a Temperance meeting (a la Joyce Grenfell Nursery School sketch – wonderful ;)

Soon we were on! I hobbled slowly to the back of the stage and was wired for sound! We couldn’t see “Davina” and the warm up sketch but it sounded fun! Then the 2 mins per contestant was whizzing through and we were on! I could hear Pat doing his usual superlative MC bit and suddenly he was reading out my speech:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, the management of this year's Maskerade are proud to announce a moment of culture from Ankh-Morpork.

We present part of the Departure Aria between the tragic lovers Iodine and Peccadillo, as sung by Dame Violetta Gigli (Ankh-Morpork) and Herr Flach wie ein Kartoffelpuffer (Uberwald)”

Min made her way across the stage as Walter, clutching a broom and the cards, to a ripple of recognition and applause. Then it was me! Shadow Dave had kindly agreed to be the other half of the off stage argument (and he did a wonderful job):

SM: That's your cue, Diva!

Me: But where's Herr Kartoffelpuffer, this is supposed to be a duet!

SM: We don't know! Just start and we'll send him on when we find him.
The show must go on!

Me: Very well!

On stage I went (slowly) to another ripple (I think for the costume ;), made it to centre stage and cued the tech tower with “Maestro!” The music started and I remember singing – I think I got to the end (it’s a bit of a blur) but I do know that Min was doing a wonderful job of turning the cards as the level of laughter was growing steadily (I can remember thinking “Yes! They get the joke!How wonderful!).

I got to the end note, held it, let it dramatically waiver and then turned to look for my tenor, then (as planned) both Min and I look at each other, shrug, I curtsey as best I can and turn to go. Now, Pam had already suggested to get the best view of the tenor, that I move as close to front of stage as I can before making the turn. This I do and the roar that greets me, as I turn round was most gratifying. More thoughts of “Yes!” internally and I then staggered off (the wrong side – apologies again Miss Treason)

Shaking like a leaf, I then hobble through to the Green Room, where I’m finally able to sit, and watch the rest of the show. There are SO many wonderful acts – we had a wonderful time, except when the sound went! We then come through to watch the Low King nominees being interviewed by Pat, while the judges (Brian, Terry, Bernard and Jaqueline) go off for their holy huddle.

Suddenly they’re back! All is attention as Brian reads out the judges’ decisions. There’s a special award for Poohcarrot as Lao Tzu for best surprise (he went “Boo!” before even starting the sketch!), a special junior winner Brighid Hurtubise as Concussia, Best Rookies were a couple of new con members Norbert Servant of Nuggan and Kevin an acolyte (they were great – I actually caught their at in the Green Room), Best Novice one of the Anguas, Best Journeyman was Brian (Bri Tze) as the Patrician (wonderful) and Best Master was Richard as Sir Joshua Lavish with, as Pat put it, the first ever pitch invasion of a Maskerade (30 seamstresses!).

So I’m stood at the back thinking that was great, then Brian does the build-up to Best in Show (and the silver trophy). Apparently, there’s usually an argument at this point with everyone trying to put his or her favourite forward. I’m thinking, it must be the Norwegians cos their sketch was brilliant! When Brian reads out “The Departure Aria”!!

Evidently the sharp intake of breath I took got Davina (who was nearby) wondering how I’d managed it (very tightly laced!) and also where’s the camera cos the photo if she keels over would be unbelievable! I’m swamped with lots of wonderful people all congratulating me, while I’m still trying to believe what’s been read out! But I manage to join Terry and Brian on stage, where I get a kiss from Terry (woo hoo!) and then the trophy itself!

I then ask what now and am told I have to do it again!! Which means people racing for props and Lottie having to re-pin the tenor to his previous position! As I have to back up to the curtains, I come out with “I’m sorry dear hearts, I don’t have reversing music” at which the entire auditorium goes “beep, beep, beep”! Priceless! I then improvise a bit more and we launch, finally, into “Questa maledetta” again. And everyone sings along! It was quite magical.

I have vague memories of LOTS of photos being taken, of my arms getting longer holding the trophy, of being interviewed by a lovely lady from the Chronicle (Nitta), of champagne (well a glass at least), of more singing and watching people at the Hedgehog party and finally bed at 0200 (ish).

Gods and P.E.

by Nitta
Brighid Hurtubise won the Junior Award at the 2010 Maskerade. I talked to her and her dad Josef while queuing for Sunday’s booksignings.

- How did you find the idea?
- I was thinking about gods – and people who don’t like P.E.
- Are you one of them?
- Yes.
- But she’s never been concussed – says her dad.

Brighid has been a Discworld fan since she’s been  6 or 7 years old (do you remember not being a DW-fan – asks Josef). Brighid is also a veteran conventioneer: she attended the 2008 Convention, and also a New Zealand convention. At the last Maskerade they were the Lancre Royal Family, and she was dressed as Esmerelda Margaret Note Spelling of Lancre.

Her favourite Discworld character is Death – because he likes kittens.

The case of the stuck door (The Departure Aria, winners of the Best in Show Award

by Nitta
Jan Uzzell and Min Lacey won the Best in Show Award at the 2010 Maskerade in a dazzling double act, performing the Departure Aria (“Questa maladetta...”) from Maskerade!
I talked to them after the photo call, in a corner of the hall, with conventioneers still coming over to congratulate them and take more pictures.

- It was Jan’s idea – says Min -, she and her music teacher put the character together. We wanted to fit me in as well, and first we thought of a dwarf, then we settled by Walter Plinge.
- The idea came after the last Con – continues Jan – when we saw how much fun the Maskerade was, and we thought: what could we do? We tried to find a minor character and build on that. Because I sing we chose Maskerade as theme, and we were carrying on Terry’s idea: a 17-stone female pretending to be a 17-year-old girl. We wanted the costume to be as over the top as possible.

I asked whether she was a professional singer.
- No, I enjoy singing but I’ll not be a professional. I did singing at school, then I found myself a teacher and now I am a grade 8 singer at the London College of Music.
- Where did you find a fitting music for your act?
- the song was purpose-written by my music teacher who is also a composer on his own right – but he never heard about Terry before, so we had to explain him about the character and the novel.

The pair are both long-time Discworld fans (about 20 years in Min’s and 16 years in Jan’s case); it’s Jan’s 3rd and Min’s 6th Convention. Among Min’s favourite characters are Death, Gaspode, the Librarian – “the standard ones I think” she says. Jan’s favourite is Granny as “she’s so true to form, a beautifully written character, she does everything right”. Oh, and Min was on Mastermind recently, answering Discworld questions.

At this point two fans came up to congratulate them and were discussing the lyrics. They thought the captions held up by Walter were an own translation – whereas they were from the novel, word by word. Jan started to quote the Italian version, and to help her memory she did so singing softly– giving a second encore to the surrounding people.

I asked how they felt about their success. Jan: “It doesn’t feel real yet. I have to phone my husband to tell him about it.”

Maskerade!

by Jessica Yates

Pat was our compère for the second time, and as we learned, had also done the commentary for the North American Discworld Convention.

After a pep talk punctuated by quacking (a traditional heckle begun in 2008) the show began! To the music of Carl Orff’s O Fortuna the professional judging panel paraded: Terry! Brian! Jacqueline! Bernard!
Then came the maskeraders to strut their stuff. All were distinctive, covered a range of Discworld characters and were enthusiastically applauded. In my humble opinion Glenda Sugarbean advising on make-up for trolls delivered an excellent patter, and another lady presenting the Goddes of Lightning to the music of Night on a Bare mountain had a fabulous costume and speech. The “Going Mental” undercover assassins had a fine concept and so did the unseen university cheerleader.

Part-way through, the performance of “Death of Sheep” added baa-ing to the heckling, but Pat kept his cool! During the interval Pat interviewed the seven candidates for Low King – another unique piece of role-play.


The results:

Special award for Best Surprise: PoohCarrot – as Lu-Tze

Junior award: Bridget Hurtebise – as Concussia, goddess of not paying attention in P.E.

Rookie category award: “No you can’t” - Gill Bowler and Ann Thorold as priest and acolyte of Nuggan

Novice category award: “A girl in wolf’s clothing” – Liz McMichael

Journeyman category award: Brian Date – as Lord Vetinari

Master category award: Richard Artley – as Sir Joshua Lavish

Best in Show award went to Jan Uzzell who performed the Departure Aria “Questa Maladetta” from Maskerade, and Min Lacey as Welter Plinge who held up the captions “This damn door sticks” etc. Jan wore a gigantic looped skirt, sang beautifully and agreed to encore it after her award.

We must also thank Pam Hicks, Maskerade organiser.

The entries of the Masquerade

It is currently halftime in the Masquerade. Below follows some notes on all the entries. They are not spell checked, not read through, many of the names are missing or wrong - in short, I have been writing as the Masquerade unfolded, and now, I am posting it in halftime. Results, and report from interviews for Low King, will follow later.
I may correct this mess later, but no promises.

Prizes!

A quick list of the main prize winners as announced at the Closing Ceremony - more prizes and links to follow!

Prizes, Prizes, Prizes!



Karen/hypatia, still half asleep...

Life is a Maskerade

Being new to the convention, we had no idea what to expect from the Maskerade except for having delighted in seeing fellow attendees walking around in costume for much of the time since we had arrived. This was evidence enough that we were in for a treat, and the show did not let us down.

The event was compered by the incomparable Pat Harkin, a clever funny man who arrived script-less to ad lib through the evening to a chorus of duck noises from the audience and pantomime-reminiscent boos and hisses as he regaled us with tales of the green-light red-light scenario he was faced with from "Ops". Our guide was even awarded a commendation from the judges himself when half way through the performance, feeling time was going at a strange rate (as it unfortunately dragged between acts) he arrived at the podium as a far younger version of himself to rapturous applause.

The acts themselves were a surprising mix of family preparations, solo pieces worked carefully since the previous convention, complete with soundtrack and costume, and pieces pieced together on the spot by people who hadn't previously met. The judges' favourite was a piece adapted from the stage musical "Wicked" to fit the Discworld perfectly, but we were also treated to an exploding dragon, singing dwarfs, Otto the vampire-iconographer, Greebo the transforming cat, Ptraci the handmaiden as she belly-danced on stage. We watched in awe as Poi from the Land of Fog, and products from the Land of Avon were demonstrated to us. We wept with joy, cheered with adoration and laughed (mostly) on cue as the characters from the minds of Terry Pratchett were brought to life for us by the fans of Terry Pratchett.

After much deliberation, and a little more deliberation, and just to make sure, a final deliberation, keeping us waiting as long as a very large ball of string, we finally cheered in agreement with the judge's awards and made a hasty exit to the bar.

This was truly a delightful selection of the favourite characters of all the audience, and great fun was had by them as by us, with, I am sure, the seed for plenty ideas ready for the next convention.

Sarah Ganderton

Maskerade Review and Results

As ever, this was unique and memorable. Compere for the 1st time was Dr Pat Harkin, whose performance could become legendary as he complained that his red-green colour blindness would prevent him cueing the performers, battled with outbreaks of quacking and meowing, and even brought on a look-alike to see if we would notice.

The judges awarded Best in four categories plus extra prizes in their choice of category. Among the performers who did not win awards I was especially pleased by: the Duke of Sto Helit reading Susan's School report (she has no fear of the skeleton); the Dwarf singing The House of Rosie Palm; Perdita X singing with the Ghost; and the poem about the Convention read by William McGonnagle, to the backing of bagpipes.

Terry brought in the verdict of the judges, who were Stephen Briggs, Bernard Pearson, Bruce Richardson and Jackie Simpson.

Best Master: Brian Wakeling as Nigel the Destroyer (excellent monologue I thought).
Best Journeyman: Jacqui Lawrence as Magrat putting on her armour.
Best Novice: David Kennedy as Definitely Not a Nac MacFeegle
Best Rookie: Jan Ward in "Oops", portraying a dragon waking up, feeding & belching.

Special Awards:

From Stephen Briggs - Jennie Austin as Ptraci the bellydancer
From Bernard and Bruce - Hurtubise Family as Lancre Royal Family Portrait
From Terry and Jackie - The Assassins Sword Dance

Best in Show, by unanimous decision, was Beth Delaney whose sketch was entitled "Defying Gravity" and who portrayed a witch about to fly on her broomstick. She sang a self-composed song based on the musical "Wicked".

Jesca Yates

Photo: Ingo Korb