#parf 2020

Me:

Yesterday was one such day.  Original post here.

I’m sorry for not getting to this sooner, I posses neither time-management nor memory nor executive function.

There are more safety measures in place at the Faire than anywhere else I’ve been since the 2020 covid pandemic began, and more measures are being followed at the Faire – both proportionally and by raw numerical value – than anywhere else I’ve been since the 2020 covid pandemic began.

It is not perfect. With the caveat that I have no concept of amounts in general, I'd say that 90-to-95 percent of patrons are wearing masks correctly when not eating or drinking. Of the 10-to-5 percent who aren't, some are trying to pass off clearly inadequate face-coverings as adequate, having presumably ditched their actual masks upon entrance; some wear proper masks incorrectly; some seem to think that merely holding food or drink but not actively consuming it is perfectly fine, even in the midst of a crowd; some do not isolate themselves before eating and drinking; and some just don't friggin' wear their masks.

Nevertheless, I've seen fewer folk unmasked at the Faire than I have anywhere else I've been since the 2020 covid pandemic began. The two times I've been thus far, I felt safer than I do at the grocery store.

Social distancing is a little tougher to call. Remember how I don't conceptualize amounts? Yeah, I dunno how long six feet is. However, I'm pretty confident in saying that distance of six feet is definitely being observed less than mask wearing is. But this is something that you yourself can have good deal more control over than others' mask-wearing. First day I went, I incorporated a cane in my costume that I would just hold out horizontally if I was approaching a crowd. Cane wasn't six feet, but it plus arm might have been. Second time, the same but with a fake cutlass. I've taken to bringing a blanket that I drape over the benches of audience area as though I'm saving seats, but it's actually just to keep everyone six feet away.

My experience is limited, though. I have yet to enter a shop (I'm there for the in-house shows and maybe two-and-a-half out-of-house groups, not to shop, not in this economy, not with what tickets cost), but I saw a fair amount on the magical Book of Face about shopkeepers having trouble with patrons removing masks in shops. Only saw that after the first weekend, though, not this past one, so it may have been sorted out.

My personal main worry had been for the actors, but of all the people on the grounds, I am the most confident in the performers' safety. They are definitely being protected.

Of course, I have no way of knowing if the safety measures will continue to be followed into October, but I think that they will. The people spearheading the safety measures know what the fuck they're on about and do not take bullshit. I know this because the people in question are the same people performing, some of whom are immunocompromised themselves. My sources here are the weekly livestreams of one of the actors, and an article somebody linked to in the dot-netters group, which will only let you open it once unless you buy a subscription.

Provided that you've naught going on to put you at greater risk to begin with, I would lean toward going.  Bring at least one extra mask so as to be able to change it when you inevitably snot it up halfway through the day, bring things with which to hold people at bay, and do whatever you need to reconcile yourself to probably sitting farther away from stages than you usually would.

And if you decide not to go, I've been filming what I can as best I can. Thus far they've only been posted on the PARF-fan facebook, because of chronology reasons, though I keep intending to at least link them here, but they exist and are watchable, and barring unseen catastrophe, will continue to happen.

AAAAAAAAAAA I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU TO BE BACK!!

First off, I suggest going both days of the weekend if you’re able.  In order to thin out attendance at any given show, they’ve structured the schedule so that most super cool performances are competing with some other super cool performance.  For example, Disasterpiece is at the same time as one of the two in-house music groups this year.  Likewise, Teatime is at the same time as the other in-house music group.  All four of these acts are right before a Joust, meaning that you will have to leave one early in order to get to the other on time, or risk being late for the other.

My personal recommendations?  Well, as you said, Queen’s Court is a must.  And be sure to get there in time for the whole thing, pre-show and all, because to be quite frank, the pre-show is generally more entertaining than the main show, or at the least as entertaining.  I don’t believe that there is anything resembling Boons and Favours this year, so there’s not even anything competing with it.

Just after Queen’s Court is the Gaming Joust, which is an innocent joust in which nothing goes wrong (as far as I know), and is thus not a plot show, which is something to be aware of.

I am notorious for caring very little about out-of-house acts at PARF as compared to in-house acts, with a few exceptions.  The archetype of this exception, Rowan and the Rose, is not present this season.  However, the other duo of which Rowan Thorn (Arthur Rowan, head writer) is a part, Two Bard Party, is, in fact, there this season.  Now, I don’t know whether you’re going the weekend of the 10th and 11th, or the 17th and 18th, because I wasn’t looking at my askbox often enough to be able to tell when this arrived.  If you’re going the 17th and 18th, you may be out of luck as far as Two Bard Party goes, as that is the one weekend they are listed on the website as not being present.  But the Daily Writ for that weekend does list them, so plans might have changes and website not updated, which would be on-brand.  Regardless, I recommend this group most highly.  Geeky folk music at its finest.  Rowan in particular has an incredible knack for writing songs about very specific things in specific stories and telling them so well and with such good music (often courtesy of the group’s other member, Randal Piper) that one does not need to know a damn thing about the subject of the song to be completely blown away by it.  If they’re present your weekend, super duper mcfreaking recommend.

Whose Jest Is It Anyway was my favorite non-plot show back in 2012 and 2013, and I never quite forgave them for getting rid of it (well, the real issue was the lack of an improv-track show through which to get to know those characters, and that was solved with the introduction of Disasterpiece, but the point still stands).  But now it’s back!  It’s a half hour of short-form improv, somewhat filtered through characters, and it’s just a lot of fun.

For something quiet and small, Mags Cockburn at the picnic grove is lovely.

I definitely enjoy the music of the out-of-house group Wine and Alchemy, and my mom enjoys it even more, but their fusion world music doesn’t seem to be for everyone.  Or maybe the masses just don’t care about music in languages they can’t understand.

Judging by the timing of your move from PA, the show you’re likely least familiar with is probably Disasterpiece, although that’s surely not giving you and your youtube-watching enough credit.  If you haven’t watched any previous Disasterpieces, here’s a handy playlist of all the ones that made it on the magical Tube of You.  It’s the spiritual successor to Rumple’s tragic backstories, taking a modern story that’s at least moderately well known and adapting it for a half-hour slot in Faire-style telling, but with an added element of everything going wrong.  This is the show that, starting in 2018, fixed the issue of a lack of shows through which to gain an understanding of the improv track characters.  In 2019, it also had an overarching plot throughout the season, which was SO COOL, but of course the individual performances could still be appreciated as one-offs.  There’s an overarching plot this year, too, and videos of these shows can be found on the parf-fan facebook (because I haven’t gotten to cross-posting them on here yet, and I’m not putting ‘em on youtube until my previous years are all up because I will NOT be mucking about with chronology and organization in such a manner on that platform).  Really super duper hecking recommend.

At the same time as Disasterpiece is Mags to Rich’s, the in-house asterisk group this year.  It’s a duo, and if you’ve ever enjoyed an in-house asterisk group recently, you’re sure to enjoy this.  I’ve only seen them once, because same time as Disasterpiece, but I wish I were able to see it more.  If I were able to go more than one day a weekend, I would.  Jules and Leigh Ann are so good.

Variety Royale is the Chess stand-in, and a good show for witnessing interaction between the characters.  It’s an in-universe competition between a bunch of out-of-house acts, largely non-musical, and the lineup changes weekly.  It’s enjoyable, though I do usually feel a little nervous about proximity, as there’s little else going on at the time to thin out the patrons.

Teatime is a MUST.  It’s Sir William Pickering as portrayed by Jonathan Handley and Sir Walter Roderick Kensington as portrayed by Alex Stompoly sitting on Swashbuckler stage throwing shade and talking shit for thirty minutes.  It is GLORIOUS, it is HILARIOUS, it GIVES ME LIFE, and I love them so much.

At the same time is Music With Her Majesty, the other in-house music group.  I have not yet attended this show, more’s the pity, because Teatime is different every week, and I want to film it as much as possible.  But I know the group is wonderful, for two reasons.  Once, they’ve performed at Finale in Pub Song a couple times, and have been excellent.  Two, they’re a in-house music group at PARF, which means the OF COURSE they’re excellent and highly enjoyable, that’s how that works!

Ultimate Joust is also a little nerve-wracking as far as proximity goes, and I’ve thus only attended twice.  I’d very much like to go a little more, though, because it is Absolutely Necessary to the plot and character stuff this year, but in a completely different way than is usually is.  I’m not saying anything else, but you really do have to experience it.

And of course, the closing show, which I have been calling Finale in Pub Song, which has not been catching on which is some serious bullshit because hello it’s perfect.  As my name for it indicates, it is a blend of the Pub Sing (which I have never experienced personally before, as it takes place at the same time as Ultimate Joust, and I’ll wager you’ve never experienced it either for the same reason, so here’s a channel the content of which is approximately half Pub Song) and Finale in Song.  It is not the traditional Finale as we know it, with a host(s) from the cast and an overarching theme or conflict (NOT THAT THERE WAS AN OVERARCHING THEME OR CONFLICT AT ALL EVER IN 2019 FOR SOME UNFATHOMABLE GODFORSAKEN REASON WTF) that changes every week.  Rather, it is hosted by the Musicians of the Shire, and closely resembles Pub Sing, but does have a few non-music out-of-house acts, and sometimes an in-house music group, too.  I do like traditional Finales as we think of them more that this, but this makes sense for the season, and is certainly enjoyable.

Pro tip, after Finale in Pub Song ends, just hang around in the audience are a for a while until the exiting crowd thins.  Otherwise, six feet will be utterly impossible.

As always, the following info is from the Faire’s website.

Queen's Court

Join the Mount Hope Welcoming Committee as they greet Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, at the Globe Stage! See the Queen, enjoy a sampling of the many entertainments available during the day, and learn what lies in store for all visitors to Mount Hope!

[Ah, so they’ve moved it back to the Globe for this year.  Here’s hoping everyone interested in seeing this show is aware of the stage change and doesn’t go sit at Endgame for fifteen minutes wondering where tf the preshow is until they finally look more closely at their daily writ and then say a few choice words along with their best friend as the two of us raced off to the new stage.]

Variety Royale

How can one even begin to pick a favorite act here at Mount Hope? Well Her Majesty aims to do just that. Watch as the festival's performers battle for the title of The Queen's Favorite, and perhaps even more importantly, enough food to feed themselves and their family for a whole week!

[Who needs Chess when you can have a battle of the Humanities department!]

Ultimate Joust

Join Her Majesty and the people of Mount Hope as they preside over the final joust of the day! Strength will be tested, Honor will be challenged, and the very cause of Chivalry hangs in the balance. An explosive fireworks celebration awaits the victorious Knight and their supporters afterward!

[I’d be suspicious of this promise of a “fireworks celebration”, except that I know there are simply logistically not the numbers necessary to stage an attempted insurrection. It may be actual fireworks.]

Disasterpiece Theater 

Years ago, Mount Hope gained a reputation as a testing ground for new and unconventional community theatre. Has it lived up to Sir Walter's lofty goals? Can anything get it back on track? Was it ever on track to begin with? What is a track? Theatre will happen. It might be a Masterpiece, it might be a disaster, but it will always be a Disasterpiece.

[One, thank God. I mean, they’d’ve been daft to cut it, but all the same. Two, Sir Walter was namedropped as a historical figure and that makes me happy. Three,“What is a track?”  The cast this year is not divided by track as they’ve been before! There may not be tracks at all!  This description is fricking clever].

Finale Pub Sing 

End the festival day in joyously boisterous song lead by Demetrius and Friends! Join Her Majesty, Her Court, and the shire folk of Mount Hope as they bid you farewell with songs we all know and love.

[But like,,, its not at a pub, right?  That would be logistically too crowded to be safe rn.]

Music with Her Majesty

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth enjoys singing her favorite musical selections with a few new Shire friends. Don't miss this royal performance!  [It’s back babyyy!]

Tea Time

Come join the two most in-the-know Courtiers in her Majesty's retinue as they discuss the hottest topics of the day. Gossip is illegal, so they definitely will not be gossiping; but rest assured, Tea shall be served, and if some is spilled, so be it!

[Listen. You can’t just go posting things like that.]

Mags' To Rich's*

She's rich. She's poor. But they both can agree on one thing: dating is hard. Join Mags Cockburn and Lady Rich as they sing about men, love, and …other things. *Contains material not suitable for children.

[Ooooh, Jules is Mags again, but as a Bacch! Coolio. My guess is that Lady Rich will be portrayed by Leigh Ann Hamelin, because music. Might not be, though. Musical ability is not limited to those historically on the music track.] [Also can we talk about this show’s title, ‘cause it’s clever.]

Guts & Glory: A Scottish Cooking Demo

Join Scottish Ambassador, Argyle Douglas, as he weaves comedy and storytelling into a cooking demonstration of Scotland's most famous dish, Haggis. This exhibition features an authentic Scottish "plushie" sheep happily providing authentic "plushie" organs thus enabling everyone to savour the experience without any worries about "nasty bits".  This show is fun for the whole Family (bring your children, your grandmother, your dog).

[why...why is “plushie” in quotation marks. what are they implying.]

A Whole Experience* 

Join Abe Froman, The Sausage King, and Argyle Douglas, Scottish Ambassador, as they wax poetic about the merry mix-ups in which mature couples find themselves. The Battle for Understanding, Is Compromise Truly Worthwhile in the Long-run?, When Honesty is not the Best Policy, are just the tip of the ice-burg of topics discussed. Ultimately, this show is a celebration of being human and the foibles that come with that condition. Come prepared to laugh and share in "A Whole Experience"!  *Contains material not suitable for children.

[Strictly speaking, this show sounds less like a celebration of being human and more like a celebration of being an alloromantic allosexual human in an érosish relationship, but that could be false advertising.]

And finally, neither listed last nor remotely least....

Whose Jest Is It Anyway?

Just because the Queen is on the Shire doesn't mean the people of Mount Hope need to take themselves seriously all day! Come join the shire folk as they engage in some games of Wit, Hilarity, and Downright Silliness; all based on suggestions from the audience, so every show is different! Here are some testimonials from real audience members: • "I laughed until I stopped!" - Bern D'bread, Baker • "Seriously, whose jest is it? They never answer that blasted question!" - Yuri Gnollcakes, Privy Attendant • "I took an afternoon off inventing to watch 'Whose Jest…?' My brain is now so dead I'll never invent again!" - Leonardo Da Vinci, Early Renaissance Man • "Bridget!" - Bridget Moorhouse, Lat Master of Revels

[FUCK YEAH IT’S BAAAAACK!!!!!  I’ve been waiting years for this!  Granted, that waiting has been much more congenial since I discovered Friday Knight Improv and since they added improv track shows to the Faire day, but I have nevertheless been waiting for this for years!]

[But more important than that, I want to discuss the final testimonial there.  You’ll notice that there appears to be a typo in attributing the quote, beyond just missing the middle ‘e’ from Moorehouse.  There’s a missing letter from the modifier of the title.  It says “Lat”.  Now, while it turns out that “lat” is, in fact, a word, I very much doubt that they are attempting to define Bridget as a former silver coin of Latvia equal to 100 santimi.  No, there are two words that it could be.  One, it could be missing an ‘e’, making the word “late”.  On the outside, that seems reasonable enough; Bridget was in her prime in 1520 and this season takes place sometime after 1558.  But there is yet another option.  The missing letter could be an ‘s’, making the intended word “last”.  The last Master of Revels.  As in: Mount Hope has not had a Master of Revels since Bridget?  Or as in: there is no Master of Revels after Bridget because Bridget is still the Master of Revels and will always be the Master of Revels even unto the ending of the world, for Bridget is forever, possibly Eldritch, a force of pure chaos, unending and unchanging, Eternal.

BUT!

As anyone who subscribes to Mount Hope’s newsletter or follows them on the magical Book of Faces undoubtedly already knows, the Faire is a go for September and October, albeit under very strict perimeters.  There will be no streetwork, and thus no Blackfryars, and but a skeleton crew of Bacchanalians.  Out-of-house acts are likewise reduced.  I’m frankly too tired to rephrase everything right about now, so I’m going to just drop the image from the Faire’s facebook page here.  I’ve pasted the text from the email below it, if that’s more your speed. (I think the contents are the same, but I haven’t done a side-by-side comparison.)

Greetings!

I am excited beyond words that we are soon able open to celebrate the 40th season of the glorious Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire.  It certainly isn't how we had hoped to commemorate this momentous milestone, but, in a way, this year's Faire experience will harken back to "the olden days" when crowds were smaller and intimacy was the order of the day.

We will operate this Fall significantly different than what we have become accustomed to as we adapt to the new landscape created by COVID-19.

Our maximum daily attendance will be set at 25% of capacity as we swing wide the castle gates. Smaller audiences will ensure safe and socially distanced seating at stages and eating areas as well as shorter queuing lines at Faire gates, kitchens and merchant booths.

Advance, date specific tickets will be required in keeping with the strict attendance limitations as directed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

In addition to the reduction of audience size, we will be taking extraordinary efforts to ensure a safe and comfortable Faire day, including CDC approved sanitizer stations at every food booth, merchant booth, and stage area, as well as requirements of face coverings for staff, performers (not performing), vendors and guests throughout their stay, and reminders of social distancing throughout the Faire grounds.

As we are only open weekends, increased sanitation and cleaning using CDC approved cleaning equipment and sanitizers will take place after each Faire day as well as during the week. Every member of our staff will be screened before they begin each Faire day and we will encourage guests to self-monitor their health before joining us at the Faire.

All health and safety information will be published to our website and updated as new policies or procedures are mandated. We will follow the lead of our other great PA amusement and theme parks (including HersheyPark, Dorney Park, Sesame Place and many others) as we carefully monitor Dept of Health policies to assure a safe experience.     As we continue working towards welcoming Her Majesty, our overriding concern is providing a safe Shire for all staff, performers and patrons to put aside life's everyday concerns, even if for but a few short hours.

Since the beginning of this crisis, our choices have been rooted in the health, safety and well-being of hundreds of actors, performers, merchants and staff, as well as the many thousands of patrons who visit to experience the fantasy of the Faire.

With new policies and precautions in place and, with the cooperation of all, we can look forward to sharing a very special 40th Anniversary season together.

Until our paths shall cross again, stay thee safe and fare most well!

Scott Bowser, Proprietor

As far as I understand it, the Faire is taking just about every single precaution short of actually not running this year.  It’ll come down to whether or not they actually enforce the whole hey-patrons-wear-a-mask-and-wear-it-right thing.

But my chief purpose here is to share what, as is their wont, the Faire hath not posted upon their Facebook: the cast list!

At this point, characters have not been announced anywhere; and though a visit to the Faire’s website will yield costumed headshots, those are definitely not going to be the characters – at least not all of them, not unless the plot involves all of time having collapsed even more than usual.

-----------------------------------------------

Bacchanalian Cast 2020

Leigh Ann Hamelin

Jonathan Handley

Mary Huff

Dana Micciché

Joe Penn

Jules Schrader

Adam Shepley

Katelyn Shreiner

Alex Stompoly

Jeff Wolfthal

-----------------------------------------------

My observations:

A small enough cast that the living quarters might actually be spread out enough to be safe for them, THANK GOD.

Looking like there’s likely no in-house combat (only two actors have been on the combat track that I know of), which makes sense.  Also probably no in-house music groups (only two have been on music track that I know of), which also makes sense.  So pretty much improv only, then.  Wise decision, all things considered.

My Lady Dana Micciché hath been robbed of her accent mark on the Faire’s site, but is a Bacchanalian this year?  Hell yes?

I was about to say that the only casting I feel remotely confident will be the same is Mary Huff as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, but then it occurred to me that with so small a cast, the story might well call for not having a royal progress happening this time.  That’s what I would do if I were writing it in this situation.  Then it also occurred to me that having Mary Huff as Queen Elizabeth again would enable the writers to bring back a couple of insanely popular characters that likely would not logistically be able to return otherwise. (I’m referring, of course, to Jonathan Handley and Alex Stompoly as Sirs William Pickering and Henry Carey, respectively, because I stg some patrons of last year only recognize or acknowledge or care about those two.) So now I’m sure of nothing.

HI HELLO YES I AM VERY EXCITED RIGHT NOW

Courtesy of a certain actor’s weekly livestream, I knew that some of the characters would be reprisals and some would be new.  As it happens, three are new characters and seven are reprisals.  No character descriptions at this point, but four of the reprisals are from last year, and I shall begin with them, using last year’s descriptions.

Reprised characters with (old) descriptions

Mary Huff :  Queen Elizabeth I – Queen of England

Young and full of hope for the future of her country, Queen Elizabeth I is eager to take part in the day’s festivities and to learn more about the people she is meant to rule. Though she is youthful in appearance, she should not be underestimated. Queen Elizabeth I is intelligent, quick-witted and does not suffer fools lightly.

[This is slightly outdated, as Her Majesty is no longer a brand-new monarch. I also wish to note that the character name as currently listed on the Faire’s website is missing the suffix “I”.]

Jonathan Handley :  Sir William Pickering – Nobleman

Well educated, well bred, well connected. William Pickering has studied at the best schools, spent time among the French court, and is a good friend of Queen Elizabeth; but surely he would never let those things go to his head. He is still a man of the people, with his finger on the gilded pulse of the court.

[The character name as currently listed on the Faire’s website is missing the “Sir” prefix.]

Dana Micciché :  Katherine Champernowne, Lady Kat Ashley – Lady in Waiting

Appointed governess, tutor, friend, and confidante, Lady Kat Ashley ensured that her Queen had all the necessary tools to rule England. Well versed in astronomy, geography, history, Latin, Spanish, Italian, and Flemish, this unassuming woman is also trained in the art of swordsmanship, axe-throwing, archery, and caber tossing! Think you know a little about a lot? Lady Kat knew it first!

[Give 👏 Dana 👏 her 👏 accent-mark 👏 2k20!]

Joe Penn :  Jacob Perry – Sheriff of Mount Hope

He loves putting away bad guys and solving mysteries. The only mystery he cant solve: how to grow up.

[I would like to note that one, as mentioned, that character description is from last season; and two, the character name as currently listed on the Faire’s website does not actually say “Sherrif”. While it is probable that Jacob Perry is, at this point in universe, still a member of law enforcement, that is not currently guaranteed. We shall see.]

And now, let us jump to the new characters, who have neither descriptions nor even occupations listed.

Leigh Ann Hamlin :  Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich

Katelyn Shreiner :  Carmen Southwark

Jeff Wolfthal :  Bruce Muir

[Now this is interesting, because in 2015 Jeff played a character named Finlay Muir, a Scottish prisoner of war (whose character description I can, surprisingly, supply if so requested, despite only attending once that year, because of reasons).  My suspicion is that the character will not be lifted wholesale, but will have distinct similarities, and also be related.]

And the reprisal characters lacking descriptions.

Jules Schrader :  Mags Cockburn

[I’d have a description if I’d posted about the independents last year, but alas! my thoughts and energy were well taken elsewhere.]

Adam Shepley :  Diggory Applebottom

[I am gonna cross my fingers real hard that this is the grandson of Diggory Applebottom of 2017, because that will enable me to continue to interpret this in the same continuity as 2016-2020, which I have frankly been reveling in, as continuity and canon are my absolute jam.] [Sidenote, I’m still salty that character descriptions were not made public for 2017.  And 2018 and 2016, but especially 2017.]

Alex Stompoly :  Sir Walter Roderick Kensington

Aaron Bonk – full season

Alpenlaenders – partial season

Archery Through the Ages – full season

Arthur Greenleaf Holmes* – full season

Barely Balanced – full season

The Burly Minstrels – partial season

Cu Dubh – partial season

Demetrius the Minstrel – full season

Don Juan & Miguel – full season

Harper Lee – full season

The Mud Squad – full season

Noble Cause Productions – full season

Paolo Garbanzo – full season

Rowan the Bowin' – full season

Royal Falconer – full season

Scott Alexander – full season

Wine and Alchemy – full season