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olorielOnly one week late. With photos. In English.
Click on the thumbnails for larger versions of the pictures. They mostly aren't very good, because I was still experimenting with the camera most of the weekend. They're many, though - and I'm already leaving the most blurry or redundant ones out!
Anyway,
Friday, Oct 7th
I had intended to get going by 10 am, but as usual, I don't manage to. This time, it's the hair-dying that keeps me; they were supposed to get black, but so far, they're only slightly darker than they always are, which sucks. Eventually, I end up with sort of grey-purplish hair, which is the point at which I decide to screw it all and finally hit the road.
It is, of course, full - it's Friday afternoon, after all - and I find lots of nice traffic jams to slow me down. In the last one, I suddenly see someone waving from a passing car - and look, it's Falf! Since the traffic is going so slow, we have the time to exchange some words ("Whee, you here? Going to Fulda? No way! Small world!").
At least I find the hotel at once, and even find a parking space which only costs 2 Euros for the entire weekend. I check in for the con first, then for the hotel, which is a tad difficult because my room-mate is already there, and she's not the one I knew of but somebody else who apparently bought her ticket, and the clerks have some trouble finding the matching names and all, but eventually I get a key-card and can get my stuff into the room. The elevators are extremely slow; but at least in this hotel you can reach any floor with them, not just the one you live on, which was annoying in the Maritim hotel where the last cons took place.
After trying to wash at least the worst of the purple out of my hair, I get into garb when suddenly my cell-phone rings. It's![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ladyelleth, who has only just arrived as well. We meet at the check-in and go to explore the new location together. The new main hall a.k.a. Valinor has the atmosphere of an ice stadium, but now the seats are no longer on one level except in the middle of the hall, which means that you have decent sight of the stage even from further back. That's definitely an improvement.
Look, Ent-wives!
Off-duty Nazgûl
Random shot of the entrance hall
... Any questions?
The so-called Medieval Market is actually just the usual merchandising stuff mingled with some nice medieval stalls, all grouped in a large hall with a stage on which different bands are going to play over the weekend (right now, it's Die Streuner). The fan-camps (of Rohan, the Elves and Harad) are hidden in-between; I try to find the Gondor-camp for which I have some stuff in the trunk of my car, but I can't find it (later on I learn that the tent broke down, so it wasn't there).
We make our way to the second, take some pictures of the pretty costumes and take a look at the Art Contest.
Pretty! The mail was clinking awfully loud, though.
I'm not an ent, I am a tree. (No, not even an entwife.)
Look! It's the Party Tree!
It's good to know I'm not the only maniac who embroiders Tolkienish patterns.
Squee, Maglor!
And then it's time to return to Valinor for the Opening Ceremony! Unfortunately, our seats are far from each other (ladyelleth sits in one of the front rows, whereas I'm further back in the C block), and as the hall is full for the Opening, we can't enjoy it together. Oh well.
The ceremony begins with Marc B. Lee, of course, and some performances - first, we have Théoden and Gamling, then we get the baaaaad guys coming up. Afterwards, we have a lovely little scene of Pippin swearing fealty to Denethor - a nice touch, I think, seeing as we have John Noble among the guests.
And then it's time for said guests to get on stage! Unfortunately, Sean Astin and David Wenham had to cancel pretty much last-minute, and John Howe got the flu and was forbidden to fly. I forgot why Colleen Doran couldn't come, but at any rate, she couldn't. But we do have Royd Tolkien (at this point I must admit that I'm terribly amused by the current Royd-adoration going on in Cirdan's forum - this time last year, when I put him on the want-see list, there were maybe 10 other people who, across the span of a year, threw in with me in wanting to see him. Now he's among the top ten on the new list. Heh.), Lawrence Makoare (everyone's favorite Uruk-hai), Thomas Robins (Deagol), Stephen Ure (Grishnakh), Jarl Benzon, Jonathan Harding and Sandro Kopp (the Elven fraction), Mana Hira Davis (who played several small roles), Peter Tait (Shagrat) and Lori Dungey (Mrs. Bracegirdle) - and, as I mentioned, John Noble. On Sunday, Billy Boyd will pay us a visit! And of course there also are the Ring*Con mascots, Craig Parker (who will arrive tomorrow) and Mark Ferguson.
And then there are our lovely 'intellectuals': Daniel Reeve, who did the calligraphy for the film, and Dr. Frank Weinreich, Dr. Rainer Nagel, Dr. Christian Weichmann (the German Tolkien Society's Maksâtan!), Alexandra Velten, Friedhelm Schneidewind and Cirdan a.k.a. Stefan Servos. Olwë is there, too, but he's 'only' a guest this time, not an active lecturer.
After the Opening, John Noble holds his first Q&A session. He turns out to be an absolutely amazing, lovely gentleman, answering all questions in detail and being incredibly kind and not just a bit wise. It's difficult to reconcile this with his role - I mean, he's practically the total opposite of Denethor. At one point, somebody asks whether it weren't incredibly hard to play somebody who treats his own son like Denethor treated Faramir. John Noble's first reaction is to say, "Wouldn't this be a wonderful world if we could stop hurting the people we love?" Too true... someone else asks whether he liked the way Denethor's death scene was handled or whether he thought it was a bit overdramatic. "Absolutely overdramatic", he replies, and then goes on to explain how the stuntman who had to do the death-drop scene had a horrible job, what with getting put on fire and all that. "Perhaps he hit an orc and not just the ground?" someone suggests.
I wish the picture were better. Alas.
Next up is Lawrence Makoare, who is, obviously, not yet at the bar (which is where we are supposed to look for him if we ever search for him). I can't remember much from his panel, alas, but I do remember the part where he was asked about the cross-dressing party they had on the set once. We learn that Elijah Wood looks gorgeous as a woman and that Sala Baker (Sauron) has a nice ass. Um, yes.
The last panel for the day was supposed to be Mark Ferguson and Craig Parker, but as the latter isn't here yet, Mark Ferguson hosts a little game show instead. It is called Ring Wars, and for the teams, he has managed to drag four of his co-stars onto the stage again. Two further participants are recruited from the audience. The teams, then, are:
1) Lawrence Makoare, Lori Dungey and Charly from the audience, and
2) Royd Tolkien, Thomas Robins and Nadine from the audience.
The second team leads at first, but Mark cheats with the points so the teams remain even all the while.
At first, the teams are asked questions about the films, followed by a game of charades where they have to explain movie titles with blended-in LOTR characters, such as 'Saving Private Legolas' or 'Cave Troll of the Carribean'. (Charly mimics Captain Jack Sparrow's way of walking rather impressively for that one.) For the quiz part, the teams had to pick buzzer sounds (because there were no actual buzzers), and Thomas Robins came up with a high-pitched 'ooh-OOh-ooh' sound, the call of the morepork (no, not Ankh-Morpork. Morepork, also known as Ruru. A native bird of Newzealand. Whee.)
Look, Royd is being a gentleman! *swoon*
Thomas demonstrating the 'saving' part of 'Saving Private Legolas'
Then Thomas Robins and Lawrence Makoare have to sing an improv song titled "I wish I wasn't born an Orc".
Anyway, now comes the craziest part of the show: Celebrity Smackdown. Team 1 is Legolas, Team 2 is Haldir, which makes Mark Ferguson declare it the World Championships of Hair-tossing rather than Smackdown. At any rate, the game goes like this: Only one competitor for each time fights at one time, the others have to comment on the match. The match is held in slow-mo. Hilarity ensues.
After that, the programm for the day is done, but there's a party going on in the entrance hall. However,ladyelleth, her mother and I decide to go and have some foooood first (after getting the Gollum Card which you need to pay for food and drinks in the hotel). We end up on the first floor (second for the Americans) where we get baked taters. We steal an empty table to sit down and eat when an elf in armour and a corsair lady drop by. The corsair is the same person who earlier told us that she was planning to do a Silmarillion-based artbook similar to the Wraeththu book (which she had participated in), and with whom we had a brief discussion whether it's Nerdanel or Nerandel (Nerandel? WTF?). The elf only wants to get out of the armour, because, as we all know, you can't move properly in it.
Elf striptease!
Aaah, finally able to sit again.
Nerdanel is smitten!
Why have a party downstairs if you can relax upstairs?I didn't like the music anyway.
Eventually - it's not even midnight yet - we decide to call it a day and go to bed. I have just showered and brushed my teeth and called Jörg when my room-mate, too, shows up. She explains that she needs to watch TV before sleeping, but I don't care much because I'm actually so tired that I fall asleep right away, TV and light (and Kanji flash cards) be damned. After all, tomorrow will be a busy day.
The Hotel entrance. By night.
- - -
Saturday, October 8th
My roommate Petra actually wakes up before my alarm clock goes off, which is a bit of a relief, seeing as I was afraid to wake her up. I get dressed ('normally', for the time being) and go to breakfast. At first, I wait outside forladyelleth and her mother, but the only people whom I meet are Rhesa and Aditu a.k.a. tzaaihta(the latter is dressed up as Snape. I offer her my I trust Severus Snape button, but she doesn't take it - she wants to look for a green ribbon, though). Eventually, I walk into the restaurant, where my partners-in-crime are already sitting and eating.
The breakfast buffet is good, and I find myself filling my hobbit-stomach soon. Afterwards, I get my ass into garb again (Fëanor, this time; the only one to recognize it is Olwë, later on, but oh well, I must admit I don't look very Fëanorian anyway). Then I hurry to Valinor for the Mark Ferguson and Craig Parker panel. The two are, as always, an excellent team. I can't, however, remember much of what happened during their panel, except that they noticed the Party Tree we met yesterday and invite her on stage, declaring her a "Tannenente" (probably best rendered as 'Christmas Duck' - Ente may sound like a female form of Ent, but in fact it means a duck) and singing "Oh Tannenbaum" for her. Also, Mark demonstrated how you have to go about sitting in Elven armour. Oh, and then there's a question about Craig's/ Haldir's Elvish sword. I forgot the actually question - I really have to take notes next time around - but the answer is hilarious. Craig goes on about his sword for a while, and people begin to interpret it in a dirty way *cough* - and then he declares, "Because, you know, some people have Elven daggers, like Sting, and other people have Elven swords" and mimically implies a rather long sword. At that point, Mark chips in, holding his hand above his head - "and some people have SPEARS." Very few people actually think of Aiglos now, obviously...
And Mark foolishly tells us an embarassing story about a hotel stay in Wellington years ago: He had partied the evening through, and when he finally was in bed, he needed to pee. So he got up and went through the door - which led to the corridor, not to the bathroom. The door snapped shut, and Mark stood on the hotel corridor, stark naked. He didn't have a key and didn't want to go and ask for a replacement key naked as he was, and he still needed to pee. Eventually, he went to a balcony to relieve himself. Unfortunately, there was a convertible standing on the street below... when Craig adds that that reminds him of a strange incident when he was in Wellington years ago, in winter, and there suddenly was that warm rain... we break down for good. MENTAL IMAGES I DON'T NEED!
A massage to wake up...
My Fandom slashes itself, I
My fandom slashes itself, II
How to sit in Elven armour
Enter R.A.R. Tolkien
The next person to give a talk is Royd Tolkien, who had only a few seconds in the third movie, but gets a lot of questions about his great-grandfather. For this panel, I joinladyelleth and her mom in the fourth row, because the hall is fairly empty by now. But Royd is a really wonderful person, friendly and with a great sense of humour and quite handsome on top of it (yeah, ok, I might have the teensiest tiniest crush on him, sorry). At first, he reads some German that Sandro has written onto a slip of paper for him, namely: "Guten Tag. Ich bin noch Jungfrau. Könnt ihr mir helfen, das zu ändern?" (which means, "Hello. I'm still a virgin. Can you help me to change that?"). Oops...
He gets asked whether many people ask questions because of his last name, and explains that people don't usually notice, unless he pays by credit card. When he was in Newzealand and they were hiring diving gear, however, the shopkeeper asked at once whether he had anything to do with the author. He does a very proud raising-of-the-head-deep-intake-of-breath-gesture then (ladyelleth claims it would have done Fëanor proud), replying "He's my great-grandfather." Afterwards, everyone in the shop had to come and have a good look at him...
Someone else asks whether he does any writing himself. "I do, but just for myself", he replies jokingly, "about hobbits, you know, and the things they do - but there are young children here..." And somebody else asks what he thinks about all the crazy fans dressing up. Royd explains, "I love it! I mean, all these young women with pointy ears and in beautiful robes, that's sexy! And I'm single... it's great!" Ok, thanks...
Meanwhile, Sandro Kopp joins him on stage to draw a sketch of him for the charity auction later on (in the profile sketch, you really see the similarity to The Professor). After a while, he decides to give the person in the drawing definitely female forms, and - after some sort of snarky comment from Royd - he adds a speech bubble with the words 'Oh Mark! Can I touch your spear?'. Oh dear...
My fandom slashes itself, III
In between, Thomas Robins shows up to tell Royd how glad he is that he's still alive although he read everywhere that he was dead, and thanks him for writing the books. Soon after, Lawrence Makoare shows up to ask what role Royd plays in the new Harry Potter movie. I love it how the Fellowship of the Stars grows tighter every year - now they're already playing pranks on each other...
Look, it's art!
After the panel, it's time for choir practice. I missed yesterday's meeting, so I didn't get the music notebook, but I always find someone who lets me look into their sheets. We begin by singing Twilight and Shadow and then give Haldir's Lament a try, for which I switch from the second soprano group to the alto (because it has more text, whee). The singing is great fun, and after some practice, it actually sounds pretty good.rahja, nefantoiel, tzaaihta, Frodo, Kysi and Pala are there as well, so I'm not totally alone among strangers ;).
After the choir, I get to my room and then join some of the other above-mentioned people who are sitting in Aditu's room to practice some more singing. We don't sing but talk, which is fun too. Eventually, Aditu needs to get into her Orc garb for the auction, and I hear that my ticket number is finally up for autographs, so I go down into the main hall again to get the free autographs. I don't care for most of them, but hey, Royd Tolkien and John Noble! Whee! As always, I have forgotten to get something decent for them to write on and don't want to buy photographs, so I use the Ring*Con programme. I've been doing that for three years now, so it's a good old tradition...
John Noble actually takes the time to shake everyone's hand and asks how we are. He's so lovely! And having, finally, a camera where the non-flash modus doesn't automatically mean all pictures end up blurry, I manage to actually take photos of the autograph session. I think it works much better the way they're handling it here: At the Maritim, the autograph session would be a matter of hours, letting 200 people in at once and forming gigantic queues along the entire main hall. Now they only let about 30 people in at once, and only when the first 30 are out, the next 30 can come in, so things move much faster. Maybe next year they can permit people to ask for dedications, or to have some small talk? Now, the time for that would be there, and it would be lovely to have that again.
... that's an interesting way to simulate hobbit-feet, too.
Afterwards, I go to searchladyelleth again but can't find her until after the video contest. The latter is quite good - at least the parodies and music videos are delightful, the 'serious' entries are rather weak because you can't take them serious but they're meant that way - but the room, Gondolin this time, is too small for the many people who want to watch. I manage to get in just before it's too full, but I end up standing near the door, where people keep trying to get in. Most understand that there's just no chance, but one tries to get in despite all warnings, pushes a few people over, than turns around and goes back outside. Thanks kindly.
After the video contest, I take some random costume photos and then meet Aditu - in ork-costume now - downstairs. She's waiting for the auction to begin. Suddenly, my cellphone rings, and that's how I findladyelleth again. Blessed be the pocket-palantír.
We end up in Gondolin again - in the first row, sitting on the floor, this time, because it's full again - to watch The Trouble of the Rings Returns King-Size, the third part of a Russian LOTR parody. It's really enjoyable - by now I've seen all three parts and can safely say that the third part is the best - and funny. It's also interesting on a different note: You get a totally different picture of Russia when seen through the lense of mad LOTR geeks than the usual view you get through the news...
After buying the DVDs with all three movies, we return to Valinor for the end of the auction. There are, among other things, one of those crew vests with the number of days left for shooting sewn on them, a Narnia crew t-shirt (saying something like "I'm in the Narnia movie! When there's that big battle and the lion is talking to the centaur, just behind the giant there's a tent, and in the shadow you can see a figure, and just when he's out of focus, someone walks up to him and that's me." I didn't memorize the text and you can't read it properly on the photo, but anyway, that's what it boils down to.), a Trouble of the Rings signed Collector's Edition, a pretty dress, and, of course, the sketch Sandro Kopp made this morning. More impressive than the actual items is the show they're presented with, though. Sandro Kopp, Jarl Benzon, Mark Ferguson and Lori Dungey make a lovely little show around each item. There are some - especially the t-shirts and the artsy stuff - that I might like to have, but lacking the money, I'm just as happy just to watch.
The Argonath are watching!
The auction is followed by the costume contest. This year, there are very few contestants, and they all have quite impressive costumes. However, there is one Big Question: Ever since 2003, each year has seen one group of several young women in Éowyn's shieldmaiden dress, showing some sort of swordplay. FOR THREE YEARS INNA ROW. Each year, it's a different group. But still, why is that particular act so popular? Especially seeing as it never won anything?
This year, we even have a Balrog! And three darling Elf-maidens whose performance is unexciting but whose costumes win them the prize for the best costumes. We have a bitchfight between Arwen and Éowyn, and Gríma singing opera, the Argonath singing 'Take me home, Anduin', and Éowyn being told by Hasufel that Aragorn actually loves Brego, and Bernd the Lembas Bread (a joke from German TV). Before and after the show, the RingStars and the Strawberry Victims do some funny performances - the RingStars will have a huge performance later tonight, too. They're hilarious, just like they were last year, and they perfectly bridge the time between the contest and the jury's decision. There is, for example, a Paths of the Dead/ Ghostbusters crossover, and the Strawberry Victims perform a scene from Manitou's Shoe.
Take me hoooome, Anduiiin!
Finally, the jury proclaims the winners. Additionally to the on-stage costume contest, there were the audience awards for best costume and worst costume. As you had to register for either, no-one's getting hurt with the latter. The winner for the worst costume is a girl who has an Arwen dress - entirely in pink velvet. It hurts to look at it, really. But you do remember her - whereas I cannot remember who won in the four categories of the official costume contest, except for the three Elven girls. Oh well. The audience award for the best costume goes to a girl dressed in gold with a cushioned sort of scarf - she's the One Ring! I've heard the actual winner was an orc, though, but I don't know really. All in all, the costume contest seems a little rushed through - it was more lovingly done during the last years.
After the costume contest, we're treated to a stunt show. While it is well-done, most of it doesn't impress me over-much - I assume that I'm spoiled by years of martial arts training *sigh*. The only thing that does make my heart stop is the Uruk falling from the ceiling at some point. Still, it's a good show, and I'm sure the people working on it put a lot of effort into it.
Lawrence Makoare tries to bring Lurtz into safety...
The stunt crew
Orc on fire (We don't need no water...)
Afterwards, we have two more panels - one with John Noble, of which the most remarkable moment is when someone walks up to the microphone to thank him for shaking everybody's hand in the autograph session, and he replies that he tries to remember each of us, and all that he remembers from the autograph session are "1500 pairs of beautiful eyes". Awww. Isn't he lovely? He is. The perfect gentleman. The second panel features Thomas Robins.
Outside, meanwhile, there is fire-dancing and the Haradrim group action (oh, btw, people, the singular of haradrim is haradan. NOT 'one haradrim', and NOT 'one harad'. Haradan. It's not that difficult. Seriously.) I only catch the end of it, unfortunately, after having a brief supper.
And then it's finally time for the RingStars' Unleashed Tales! Which is most easily described as LOTR - The Musical. The music is all well-known stuff, perfectly chosen to fit the scenes, and it's impossible to stay calm or even on your seat - the urge to sing along, squee, clap and just roll on the floor laughing is VERY strong. For example, we have "I will follow him" for Sam leaving the Shire with Frodo, Legolas struts across the stage to the sounds of "I'm too sexy", the Black Riders appear to "Black Suits coming" and are driven away by Arwen with a super-soaker, Boromir dies to "Who wants to live forever", Galadriel shows up with ABBA-sunglasses and sings "Waterloo" for the Battle of Helm's Deep, the Hobbits in fallen Isengart sing "Because I got high", Shelob gets the old tv-show "Spiderman" theme. The witch-king falls in love with Éowyn, who later gets the Elephant Love Medley from Moulin Rouge with Faramir. And the epic battle in the end takes place to Nightwish's "Ghost Love Score" (which is slightly confusing, because that has always been a Maedhros/Fingon song in my mind, so getting Sam/Frodo with it instead is slightly... yeah. Weird. Shutting up now.) And in the end, we get a little strip-show...
Luckily, I get to sit withladyelleth again for this, so I actually have a chance to take some photos from fairly close.
Frodo rockses the house!
The Men in Black
Frodo rockses the Council!
Dwarven Power
Gandalf vs. Balrog
Who wants to live forever?
Gimli has no box. Gimli needs no box.
The Witchking falls for Éowyn. In both senses.
Welcome to the Club of the Dead.
We should be lovers!
Ringbearers Anonymous
Party like it's the First Age I
And the Golden Faramir goes to...
After the show, which, in spite of the actual length of time it takes, seems to be far too short, we need some fresh air and don't join the party in the foyer right away. Instead, we take some silly photos of each other and learn how damn difficult it is to keep your face serious with all the silliness going on.
You can't look dignified when you're having fun.
Not for long, anyway.
When Schelmish start to play,ladyelleth's mom runs inside to join the dancing mob. ;) We still stay outside for a while, briefly chat with Olwë, then go upstairs to have a baked potato. When I call Jörg, I have a surreal little moment: I'm standing on the first floor looking down at the partying people, and just as Jörg picks up the phone at home, I see Royd Tolkien answering his cellphone down below. *blinks* That was a brief WTF?! moment...
Well-fed, we finally go and join the party downstairs, but we keep in the back, just behind a circle of dancing hobbits and Rohirrim (who dance around their secret stack of mead bottles, actually). The music is loud enough to be very much audible here, and we have more space to dance. It's fun. I also meet Melanie and Orkjäger, who apparently also prefer the laid-back space. I can't complain about not meeting people anyway: I keep running into familiar faces. Figuratively.
Party like it's the First Age II
When Schelmish pack up, we notice how tired we are. Moreover, the choir has a meeting at 9am tomorrow, so I really need to go to bed if I want to survive the drive home tomorrow. My roommate, however, comes to bed at 7:30 am the next morning and tells about how they spent the whole night singing and dancing with Lawrence Makoare and the RingStars. I always miss great stuff like that because I can't run on too little sleep, dammit.
- - -
Sunday, Oct 9th
As I said, my roommate returns just when I get up. I had intended the time to suffice for breakfast and getting dressed, but I have to braid my hair for the Gondor scene later on, and that takes longer than expected. This is the most complicated thing I ever did with my hair. Am I a geek or what? Afterwards, the time just suffices for packing and loading the car before I have to hurry to Valinor. We practice going on-stage without falling over our dresses and learn who has to enter from where. Then we sing our two songs for warm-up before we're dismissed for half an hour. I use the time for check-out and breakfast, where I meet Ench.
Then it's time for our last choir practice. This time, things sound really good. We don't quite get along with "Haldir's Lament", however, because we have decided to do a little scene with it. The Haldir is there, and so is the orc, but Aragorn is "either sleeping or with Arwen. Or sleeping with Arwen", so we have to wait until he shows up. When he does - it's almost noon - he gets applause, though; he really looks pretty much like the 'real' Viggo Mortensen!Aragorn. We practice the scene with the singing twice. And just for the heck of it, we give the Drinking Song a try. It sounds so beautiful that we decide to surprise Billy Boyd with it later on.
Searching forladyelleth, I get to witness the March of the Elves downstairs. Amusingly, the badge they have chosen for their banner is actually that of Eärendil, who is not exactly the prototypical Elf. But hey, I love Eärendil, so that's fine. And did I mention how much I love these brief fan-acts?
After I've bought my charity art-book, I findladyelleth in the guise of Uinen in the Hobbiton room . She is busy painting a pewter miniature. Since I know how addictive that is, I get myself one too and start to paint as well. Officially, the angry young elf figurine we both got is supposed to be Elrohir, but we both decide that it's not actually looking like an Elrohir...
This is not an Elrohir.
Because I'm so busy with painting (and with being amused by the people trying to play "Elfenhelfen"), I miss the Elven panel with Jonathan Harding, Sandro Kopp, Mark Ferguson and Craig Parker. Afterwards, I hear that it was hilarious - I'm not surprised, with these guys, it can't be anything else - and that I really missed a great show. But oh well.
We do return to Valinor for the Royd Tolkien Q&A, though.
Just when Royd gets the sign for 'One last question', Lawrence Makoare shows up to commandeer the panel for his traditional Maori eye-hand-coordination drinking game. He asks everyone who knows how to do it on stage, and Royd watches in amazement as they do their clapping dance. The champion even gets a prize in the end.
And then Billy Boyd has the last panel of the con. I'm overly excited because of the choir and also because of the Gondor scene (for which I couldn't even attend the practice sessions because of the choir). I get to know that there's a final meeting outside in a few minutes, but for now, I'm busy sitting with the rest of the choir near the central microphone while Billy Boyd is asked something about Gaelic and replies that he only knows "All is good", which in Gaelic sounds like "Shag a giraffe", and is asked to sing a song yet again and refuses yet again. Then one of our choir members steps to the mic and explains, "You're always asked to sing and never do, so now we decided to sing you a song as a welcome and a thank you for showing up here on such short notice." And we sing. It doesn't sound as good as in practice, but it seems impressive enough, because Billy seems to be really touched by it. And lo! later on he asks for a guitar and actually does sing for the whole assembly. Some people actually claim that he only did that because of our song *blushes*.
Then I rush outside to the Gondorians, finally get to know where to be when, and re-join the choir waiting for the Closing Ceremony.
... he's a true hobbit - first thing he does is take off his shoes...
...are you a choir? You learned that THIS WEEKEND?!
Lilac Wine
And then it's our time. Nervous, anyone? After two trailers, we get on stage and SING. I think we didn't sing loudly enough - the main hall is a lot larger than the small hall we practiced in after all - but what the heck, it's still wonderful. I love choirs, even when I have to sing myself...
After we all got off-stage, I rush over to the waiting Gondorians and join them when they board the stage. We re-enact Aragorn's crowning, the book-version (with the 'You bow to no-one' bit added in because it's just so beautiful). Awwwwww! Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of that, because I was on stage. Woe.
[Actually, I did find a photo of the choir. There. Isn't it prettyful?]
Then I finally can return to my seat for the rest of the ceremony. First comes the charity, then the winners of the art and video contest are announced (and one of them promptly manages to smash the glass of the goblet she gets as a prize, poor girl), then the swordsplay workshop present what they learned (they have, it seems, asked most of the stars to join in. It's particularly amusing when Lori Dungey finally clobbers the heck out of one of the warriors. Fear the Hobbit women!). Then, several of the guests perform some music - Peter Tait sings an Orc song about Cirith Ungol, and Jonathan Harding and Mana Hira Davis sing as well. Lori Dungey, Craig Parker and Mark Ferguson do a little improvisation: Craig Parker has committed a crime, but who is he and what did he do? After some questions to the audience ("Who is he?" - "Arwen!" - "What non-lethal crime did he commit?" - "Lost his passport!" (Mark Ferguson is no amused) - "Where? Name an interesting country!" - "...Holland!"), Craig is interrogated and has to find out from the questions what it is he's supposed to admit. Finally, he gets it: "I am Arwen from oo-OO-oo-land, and I lost my passport while rowing my boat from Holland..." Of course, he uses the chance to have at Mark (who lost his passport on his way to Ring*Con two years ago. For the 7th or so time.): "I lost my passport! I can't believe I've been so stupid! Such an idiot! So totally foolish!" (Mark: Grrrrr...)
The Charity Fairies!
And then it's time for the sad good-byes. For the first time, the lecturers get hold of the mic too. I think that's a really nice touch - they're important to the Con as well, after all - but of course, Friedhelm Schneidewind has to use the chance for polemizing right away ("Tolkien didn't write the book based on the film, you know!"). True as that is, there's really no need to use something like the Closing for fandom politics, especially when most people should be aware of that fact anyway. That's just bad form (and childish, too). Dr. Frank Weinreich does it far better: He uses the chance to ask for a big round of extra applause for the man without whom none of us would be gathered here. See, that is nice style. And we all applaud and cheer accordingly.
The farewells are really sad, and apparently, most of the actors think so too - there's actually the one or other tear. And, in the end, a big group hug for everyone. I love the Fellowship of the Actors, did I mention that already? I wish they could all return next year. I really wish more of them would just come as guests even if they aren't being paid for it, dammit.
Got beer?
And suddenly it's over (two hours instead of the traditional half-hour, but that's great, who wants to leave anyway?!) and all that's left to do is get rid of the Gollum card (the queues are unbelievable. I'd love to keep mine anyway, but there's still €14 on it, and I can't afford to gift them to the hotel, sorry) and say farewell to everybody. I actually manage to catch most of my friends and acquaintances for a final hug - and a brief embarassing moment when I wait for Smea to finish his conversation with Lawrence Makoare, who, of course, thinks I actually meant to talk to him, so I have to explain that I was actually just waiting to say goodbye to the guy with the cap-and-bells, lalala...
And then I find myself back in my car on the drive back home. Alas.
Oh, but look what happened! My car drove its 100,000th kilometer! Isn't that exciting!
Whee. Good thing this happened close to a lay-by.
And that's that. (Phew, done. 21 pages in Word. Which is 42 by half. Isn't it magical?)
- - -
... 'tschuldigung, aber zum Übersetzen hab ich jetzt echt nicht mehr die Muße (und die Muse auch nicht).
Click on the thumbnails for larger versions of the pictures. They mostly aren't very good, because I was still experimenting with the camera most of the weekend. They're many, though - and I'm already leaving the most blurry or redundant ones out!
Anyway,
Friday, Oct 7th
I had intended to get going by 10 am, but as usual, I don't manage to. This time, it's the hair-dying that keeps me; they were supposed to get black, but so far, they're only slightly darker than they always are, which sucks. Eventually, I end up with sort of grey-purplish hair, which is the point at which I decide to screw it all and finally hit the road.
It is, of course, full - it's Friday afternoon, after all - and I find lots of nice traffic jams to slow me down. In the last one, I suddenly see someone waving from a passing car - and look, it's Falf! Since the traffic is going so slow, we have the time to exchange some words ("Whee, you here? Going to Fulda? No way! Small world!").
At least I find the hotel at once, and even find a parking space which only costs 2 Euros for the entire weekend. I check in for the con first, then for the hotel, which is a tad difficult because my room-mate is already there, and she's not the one I knew of but somebody else who apparently bought her ticket, and the clerks have some trouble finding the matching names and all, but eventually I get a key-card and can get my stuff into the room. The elevators are extremely slow; but at least in this hotel you can reach any floor with them, not just the one you live on, which was annoying in the Maritim hotel where the last cons took place.
After trying to wash at least the worst of the purple out of my hair, I get into garb when suddenly my cell-phone rings. It's
ladyelleth, who has only just arrived as well. We meet at the check-in and go to explore the new location together. The new main hall a.k.a. Valinor has the atmosphere of an ice stadium, but now the seats are no longer on one level except in the middle of the hall, which means that you have decent sight of the stage even from further back. That's definitely an improvement.
Look, Ent-wives!
Off-duty Nazgûl
Random shot of the entrance hall
... Any questions?
The so-called Medieval Market is actually just the usual merchandising stuff mingled with some nice medieval stalls, all grouped in a large hall with a stage on which different bands are going to play over the weekend (right now, it's Die Streuner). The fan-camps (of Rohan, the Elves and Harad) are hidden in-between; I try to find the Gondor-camp for which I have some stuff in the trunk of my car, but I can't find it (later on I learn that the tent broke down, so it wasn't there).
We make our way to the second, take some pictures of the pretty costumes and take a look at the Art Contest.
Pretty! The mail was clinking awfully loud, though.
I'm not an ent, I am a tree. (No, not even an entwife.)
Look! It's the Party Tree!
It's good to know I'm not the only maniac who embroiders Tolkienish patterns.
Squee, Maglor!
And then it's time to return to Valinor for the Opening Ceremony! Unfortunately, our seats are far from each other (
ladyelleth sits in one of the front rows, whereas I'm further back in the C block), and as the hall is full for the Opening, we can't enjoy it together. Oh well. The ceremony begins with Marc B. Lee, of course, and some performances - first, we have Théoden and Gamling, then we get the baaaaad guys coming up. Afterwards, we have a lovely little scene of Pippin swearing fealty to Denethor - a nice touch, I think, seeing as we have John Noble among the guests.
And then it's time for said guests to get on stage! Unfortunately, Sean Astin and David Wenham had to cancel pretty much last-minute, and John Howe got the flu and was forbidden to fly. I forgot why Colleen Doran couldn't come, but at any rate, she couldn't. But we do have Royd Tolkien (at this point I must admit that I'm terribly amused by the current Royd-adoration going on in Cirdan's forum - this time last year, when I put him on the want-see list, there were maybe 10 other people who, across the span of a year, threw in with me in wanting to see him. Now he's among the top ten on the new list. Heh.), Lawrence Makoare (everyone's favorite Uruk-hai), Thomas Robins (Deagol), Stephen Ure (Grishnakh), Jarl Benzon, Jonathan Harding and Sandro Kopp (the Elven fraction), Mana Hira Davis (who played several small roles), Peter Tait (Shagrat) and Lori Dungey (Mrs. Bracegirdle) - and, as I mentioned, John Noble. On Sunday, Billy Boyd will pay us a visit! And of course there also are the Ring*Con mascots, Craig Parker (who will arrive tomorrow) and Mark Ferguson.
And then there are our lovely 'intellectuals': Daniel Reeve, who did the calligraphy for the film, and Dr. Frank Weinreich, Dr. Rainer Nagel, Dr. Christian Weichmann (the German Tolkien Society's Maksâtan!), Alexandra Velten, Friedhelm Schneidewind and Cirdan a.k.a. Stefan Servos. Olwë is there, too, but he's 'only' a guest this time, not an active lecturer.
After the Opening, John Noble holds his first Q&A session. He turns out to be an absolutely amazing, lovely gentleman, answering all questions in detail and being incredibly kind and not just a bit wise. It's difficult to reconcile this with his role - I mean, he's practically the total opposite of Denethor. At one point, somebody asks whether it weren't incredibly hard to play somebody who treats his own son like Denethor treated Faramir. John Noble's first reaction is to say, "Wouldn't this be a wonderful world if we could stop hurting the people we love?" Too true... someone else asks whether he liked the way Denethor's death scene was handled or whether he thought it was a bit overdramatic. "Absolutely overdramatic", he replies, and then goes on to explain how the stuntman who had to do the death-drop scene had a horrible job, what with getting put on fire and all that. "Perhaps he hit an orc and not just the ground?" someone suggests.
I wish the picture were better. Alas.
Next up is Lawrence Makoare, who is, obviously, not yet at the bar (which is where we are supposed to look for him if we ever search for him). I can't remember much from his panel, alas, but I do remember the part where he was asked about the cross-dressing party they had on the set once. We learn that Elijah Wood looks gorgeous as a woman and that Sala Baker (Sauron) has a nice ass. Um, yes.
The last panel for the day was supposed to be Mark Ferguson and Craig Parker, but as the latter isn't here yet, Mark Ferguson hosts a little game show instead. It is called Ring Wars, and for the teams, he has managed to drag four of his co-stars onto the stage again. Two further participants are recruited from the audience. The teams, then, are:
1) Lawrence Makoare, Lori Dungey and Charly from the audience, and
2) Royd Tolkien, Thomas Robins and Nadine from the audience.
The second team leads at first, but Mark cheats with the points so the teams remain even all the while.
At first, the teams are asked questions about the films, followed by a game of charades where they have to explain movie titles with blended-in LOTR characters, such as 'Saving Private Legolas' or 'Cave Troll of the Carribean'. (Charly mimics Captain Jack Sparrow's way of walking rather impressively for that one.) For the quiz part, the teams had to pick buzzer sounds (because there were no actual buzzers), and Thomas Robins came up with a high-pitched 'ooh-OOh-ooh' sound, the call of the morepork (no, not Ankh-Morpork. Morepork, also known as Ruru. A native bird of Newzealand. Whee.)
Look, Royd is being a gentleman! *swoon*
Thomas demonstrating the 'saving' part of 'Saving Private Legolas'
Then Thomas Robins and Lawrence Makoare have to sing an improv song titled "I wish I wasn't born an Orc".
Anyway, now comes the craziest part of the show: Celebrity Smackdown. Team 1 is Legolas, Team 2 is Haldir, which makes Mark Ferguson declare it the World Championships of Hair-tossing rather than Smackdown. At any rate, the game goes like this: Only one competitor for each time fights at one time, the others have to comment on the match. The match is held in slow-mo. Hilarity ensues.
After that, the programm for the day is done, but there's a party going on in the entrance hall. However,
ladyelleth, her mother and I decide to go and have some foooood first (after getting the Gollum Card which you need to pay for food and drinks in the hotel). We end up on the first floor (second for the Americans) where we get baked taters. We steal an empty table to sit down and eat when an elf in armour and a corsair lady drop by. The corsair is the same person who earlier told us that she was planning to do a Silmarillion-based artbook similar to the Wraeththu book (which she had participated in), and with whom we had a brief discussion whether it's Nerdanel or Nerandel (Nerandel? WTF?). The elf only wants to get out of the armour, because, as we all know, you can't move properly in it.Elf striptease!
Aaah, finally able to sit again.
Nerdanel is smitten!
Why have a party downstairs if you can relax upstairs?
Eventually - it's not even midnight yet - we decide to call it a day and go to bed. I have just showered and brushed my teeth and called Jörg when my room-mate, too, shows up. She explains that she needs to watch TV before sleeping, but I don't care much because I'm actually so tired that I fall asleep right away, TV and light (and Kanji flash cards) be damned. After all, tomorrow will be a busy day.
The Hotel entrance. By night.
- - -
Saturday, October 8th
My roommate Petra actually wakes up before my alarm clock goes off, which is a bit of a relief, seeing as I was afraid to wake her up. I get dressed ('normally', for the time being) and go to breakfast. At first, I wait outside for
ladyelleth and her mother, but the only people whom I meet are Rhesa and Aditu a.k.a. tzaaihta(the latter is dressed up as Snape. I offer her my I trust Severus Snape button, but she doesn't take it - she wants to look for a green ribbon, though). Eventually, I walk into the restaurant, where my partners-in-crime are already sitting and eating. The breakfast buffet is good, and I find myself filling my hobbit-stomach soon. Afterwards, I get my ass into garb again (Fëanor, this time; the only one to recognize it is Olwë, later on, but oh well, I must admit I don't look very Fëanorian anyway). Then I hurry to Valinor for the Mark Ferguson and Craig Parker panel. The two are, as always, an excellent team. I can't, however, remember much of what happened during their panel, except that they noticed the Party Tree we met yesterday and invite her on stage, declaring her a "Tannenente" (probably best rendered as 'Christmas Duck' - Ente may sound like a female form of Ent, but in fact it means a duck) and singing "Oh Tannenbaum" for her. Also, Mark demonstrated how you have to go about sitting in Elven armour. Oh, and then there's a question about Craig's/ Haldir's Elvish sword. I forgot the actually question - I really have to take notes next time around - but the answer is hilarious. Craig goes on about his sword for a while, and people begin to interpret it in a dirty way *cough* - and then he declares, "Because, you know, some people have Elven daggers, like Sting, and other people have Elven swords" and mimically implies a rather long sword. At that point, Mark chips in, holding his hand above his head - "and some people have SPEARS." Very few people actually think of Aiglos now, obviously...
And Mark foolishly tells us an embarassing story about a hotel stay in Wellington years ago: He had partied the evening through, and when he finally was in bed, he needed to pee. So he got up and went through the door - which led to the corridor, not to the bathroom. The door snapped shut, and Mark stood on the hotel corridor, stark naked. He didn't have a key and didn't want to go and ask for a replacement key naked as he was, and he still needed to pee. Eventually, he went to a balcony to relieve himself. Unfortunately, there was a convertible standing on the street below... when Craig adds that that reminds him of a strange incident when he was in Wellington years ago, in winter, and there suddenly was that warm rain... we break down for good. MENTAL IMAGES I DON'T NEED!
A massage to wake up...
My Fandom slashes itself, I
My fandom slashes itself, II
How to sit in Elven armour
Enter R.A.R. Tolkien
The next person to give a talk is Royd Tolkien, who had only a few seconds in the third movie, but gets a lot of questions about his great-grandfather. For this panel, I join
ladyelleth and her mom in the fourth row, because the hall is fairly empty by now. But Royd is a really wonderful person, friendly and with a great sense of humour and quite handsome on top of it (yeah, ok, I might have the teensiest tiniest crush on him, sorry). At first, he reads some German that Sandro has written onto a slip of paper for him, namely: "Guten Tag. Ich bin noch Jungfrau. Könnt ihr mir helfen, das zu ändern?" (which means, "Hello. I'm still a virgin. Can you help me to change that?"). Oops... He gets asked whether many people ask questions because of his last name, and explains that people don't usually notice, unless he pays by credit card. When he was in Newzealand and they were hiring diving gear, however, the shopkeeper asked at once whether he had anything to do with the author. He does a very proud raising-of-the-head-deep-intake-of-breath-gesture then (
ladyelleth claims it would have done Fëanor proud), replying "He's my great-grandfather." Afterwards, everyone in the shop had to come and have a good look at him...Someone else asks whether he does any writing himself. "I do, but just for myself", he replies jokingly, "about hobbits, you know, and the things they do - but there are young children here..." And somebody else asks what he thinks about all the crazy fans dressing up. Royd explains, "I love it! I mean, all these young women with pointy ears and in beautiful robes, that's sexy! And I'm single... it's great!" Ok, thanks...
Meanwhile, Sandro Kopp joins him on stage to draw a sketch of him for the charity auction later on (in the profile sketch, you really see the similarity to The Professor). After a while, he decides to give the person in the drawing definitely female forms, and - after some sort of snarky comment from Royd - he adds a speech bubble with the words 'Oh Mark! Can I touch your spear?'. Oh dear...
My fandom slashes itself, III
In between, Thomas Robins shows up to tell Royd how glad he is that he's still alive although he read everywhere that he was dead, and thanks him for writing the books. Soon after, Lawrence Makoare shows up to ask what role Royd plays in the new Harry Potter movie. I love it how the Fellowship of the Stars grows tighter every year - now they're already playing pranks on each other...
Look, it's art!
After the panel, it's time for choir practice. I missed yesterday's meeting, so I didn't get the music notebook, but I always find someone who lets me look into their sheets. We begin by singing Twilight and Shadow and then give Haldir's Lament a try, for which I switch from the second soprano group to the alto (because it has more text, whee). The singing is great fun, and after some practice, it actually sounds pretty good.
rahja, nefantoiel, tzaaihta, Frodo, Kysi and Pala are there as well, so I'm not totally alone among strangers ;).After the choir, I get to my room and then join some of the other above-mentioned people who are sitting in Aditu's room to practice some more singing. We don't sing but talk, which is fun too. Eventually, Aditu needs to get into her Orc garb for the auction, and I hear that my ticket number is finally up for autographs, so I go down into the main hall again to get the free autographs. I don't care for most of them, but hey, Royd Tolkien and John Noble! Whee! As always, I have forgotten to get something decent for them to write on and don't want to buy photographs, so I use the Ring*Con programme. I've been doing that for three years now, so it's a good old tradition...
John Noble actually takes the time to shake everyone's hand and asks how we are. He's so lovely! And having, finally, a camera where the non-flash modus doesn't automatically mean all pictures end up blurry, I manage to actually take photos of the autograph session. I think it works much better the way they're handling it here: At the Maritim, the autograph session would be a matter of hours, letting 200 people in at once and forming gigantic queues along the entire main hall. Now they only let about 30 people in at once, and only when the first 30 are out, the next 30 can come in, so things move much faster. Maybe next year they can permit people to ask for dedications, or to have some small talk? Now, the time for that would be there, and it would be lovely to have that again.
... that's an interesting way to simulate hobbit-feet, too.
Afterwards, I go to search
ladyelleth again but can't find her until after the video contest. The latter is quite good - at least the parodies and music videos are delightful, the 'serious' entries are rather weak because you can't take them serious but they're meant that way - but the room, Gondolin this time, is too small for the many people who want to watch. I manage to get in just before it's too full, but I end up standing near the door, where people keep trying to get in. Most understand that there's just no chance, but one tries to get in despite all warnings, pushes a few people over, than turns around and goes back outside. Thanks kindly. After the video contest, I take some random costume photos and then meet Aditu - in ork-costume now - downstairs. She's waiting for the auction to begin. Suddenly, my cellphone rings, and that's how I find
ladyelleth again. Blessed be the pocket-palantír. 
We end up in Gondolin again - in the first row, sitting on the floor, this time, because it's full again - to watch The Trouble of the Rings Returns King-Size, the third part of a Russian LOTR parody. It's really enjoyable - by now I've seen all three parts and can safely say that the third part is the best - and funny. It's also interesting on a different note: You get a totally different picture of Russia when seen through the lense of mad LOTR geeks than the usual view you get through the news...
After buying the DVDs with all three movies, we return to Valinor for the end of the auction. There are, among other things, one of those crew vests with the number of days left for shooting sewn on them, a Narnia crew t-shirt (saying something like "I'm in the Narnia movie! When there's that big battle and the lion is talking to the centaur, just behind the giant there's a tent, and in the shadow you can see a figure, and just when he's out of focus, someone walks up to him and that's me." I didn't memorize the text and you can't read it properly on the photo, but anyway, that's what it boils down to.), a Trouble of the Rings signed Collector's Edition, a pretty dress, and, of course, the sketch Sandro Kopp made this morning. More impressive than the actual items is the show they're presented with, though. Sandro Kopp, Jarl Benzon, Mark Ferguson and Lori Dungey make a lovely little show around each item. There are some - especially the t-shirts and the artsy stuff - that I might like to have, but lacking the money, I'm just as happy just to watch.
The Argonath are watching!
The auction is followed by the costume contest. This year, there are very few contestants, and they all have quite impressive costumes. However, there is one Big Question: Ever since 2003, each year has seen one group of several young women in Éowyn's shieldmaiden dress, showing some sort of swordplay. FOR THREE YEARS INNA ROW. Each year, it's a different group. But still, why is that particular act so popular? Especially seeing as it never won anything?
This year, we even have a Balrog! And three darling Elf-maidens whose performance is unexciting but whose costumes win them the prize for the best costumes. We have a bitchfight between Arwen and Éowyn, and Gríma singing opera, the Argonath singing 'Take me home, Anduin', and Éowyn being told by Hasufel that Aragorn actually loves Brego, and Bernd the Lembas Bread (a joke from German TV). Before and after the show, the RingStars and the Strawberry Victims do some funny performances - the RingStars will have a huge performance later tonight, too. They're hilarious, just like they were last year, and they perfectly bridge the time between the contest and the jury's decision. There is, for example, a Paths of the Dead/ Ghostbusters crossover, and the Strawberry Victims perform a scene from Manitou's Shoe.
Take me hoooome, Anduiiin!
Finally, the jury proclaims the winners. Additionally to the on-stage costume contest, there were the audience awards for best costume and worst costume. As you had to register for either, no-one's getting hurt with the latter. The winner for the worst costume is a girl who has an Arwen dress - entirely in pink velvet. It hurts to look at it, really. But you do remember her - whereas I cannot remember who won in the four categories of the official costume contest, except for the three Elven girls. Oh well. The audience award for the best costume goes to a girl dressed in gold with a cushioned sort of scarf - she's the One Ring! I've heard the actual winner was an orc, though, but I don't know really. All in all, the costume contest seems a little rushed through - it was more lovingly done during the last years.
After the costume contest, we're treated to a stunt show. While it is well-done, most of it doesn't impress me over-much - I assume that I'm spoiled by years of martial arts training *sigh*. The only thing that does make my heart stop is the Uruk falling from the ceiling at some point. Still, it's a good show, and I'm sure the people working on it put a lot of effort into it.
Lawrence Makoare tries to bring Lurtz into safety...
The stunt crew
Orc on fire (We don't need no water...)
Afterwards, we have two more panels - one with John Noble, of which the most remarkable moment is when someone walks up to the microphone to thank him for shaking everybody's hand in the autograph session, and he replies that he tries to remember each of us, and all that he remembers from the autograph session are "1500 pairs of beautiful eyes". Awww. Isn't he lovely? He is. The perfect gentleman. The second panel features Thomas Robins.
Outside, meanwhile, there is fire-dancing and the Haradrim group action (oh, btw, people, the singular of haradrim is haradan. NOT 'one haradrim', and NOT 'one harad'. Haradan. It's not that difficult. Seriously.) I only catch the end of it, unfortunately, after having a brief supper.
And then it's finally time for the RingStars' Unleashed Tales! Which is most easily described as LOTR - The Musical. The music is all well-known stuff, perfectly chosen to fit the scenes, and it's impossible to stay calm or even on your seat - the urge to sing along, squee, clap and just roll on the floor laughing is VERY strong. For example, we have "I will follow him" for Sam leaving the Shire with Frodo, Legolas struts across the stage to the sounds of "I'm too sexy", the Black Riders appear to "Black Suits coming" and are driven away by Arwen with a super-soaker, Boromir dies to "Who wants to live forever", Galadriel shows up with ABBA-sunglasses and sings "Waterloo" for the Battle of Helm's Deep, the Hobbits in fallen Isengart sing "Because I got high", Shelob gets the old tv-show "Spiderman" theme. The witch-king falls in love with Éowyn, who later gets the Elephant Love Medley from Moulin Rouge with Faramir. And the epic battle in the end takes place to Nightwish's "Ghost Love Score" (which is slightly confusing, because that has always been a Maedhros/Fingon song in my mind, so getting Sam/Frodo with it instead is slightly... yeah. Weird. Shutting up now.) And in the end, we get a little strip-show...
Luckily, I get to sit with
ladyelleth again for this, so I actually have a chance to take some photos from fairly close.
Frodo rockses the house!
The Men in Black
Frodo rockses the Council!
Dwarven Power
Gandalf vs. Balrog
Who wants to live forever?
Gimli has no box. Gimli needs no box.
The Witchking falls for Éowyn. In both senses.
Welcome to the Club of the Dead.
We should be lovers!
Ringbearers Anonymous
Party like it's the First Age I
And the Golden Faramir goes to...
After the show, which, in spite of the actual length of time it takes, seems to be far too short, we need some fresh air and don't join the party in the foyer right away. Instead, we take some silly photos of each other and learn how damn difficult it is to keep your face serious with all the silliness going on.
You can't look dignified when you're having fun.
Not for long, anyway.
When Schelmish start to play,
ladyelleth's mom runs inside to join the dancing mob. ;) We still stay outside for a while, briefly chat with Olwë, then go upstairs to have a baked potato. When I call Jörg, I have a surreal little moment: I'm standing on the first floor looking down at the partying people, and just as Jörg picks up the phone at home, I see Royd Tolkien answering his cellphone down below. *blinks* That was a brief WTF?! moment...Well-fed, we finally go and join the party downstairs, but we keep in the back, just behind a circle of dancing hobbits and Rohirrim (who dance around their secret stack of mead bottles, actually). The music is loud enough to be very much audible here, and we have more space to dance. It's fun. I also meet Melanie and Orkjäger, who apparently also prefer the laid-back space. I can't complain about not meeting people anyway: I keep running into familiar faces. Figuratively.
Party like it's the First Age II
When Schelmish pack up, we notice how tired we are. Moreover, the choir has a meeting at 9am tomorrow, so I really need to go to bed if I want to survive the drive home tomorrow. My roommate, however, comes to bed at 7:30 am the next morning and tells about how they spent the whole night singing and dancing with Lawrence Makoare and the RingStars. I always miss great stuff like that because I can't run on too little sleep, dammit.
- - -
Sunday, Oct 9th
As I said, my roommate returns just when I get up. I had intended the time to suffice for breakfast and getting dressed, but I have to braid my hair for the Gondor scene later on, and that takes longer than expected. This is the most complicated thing I ever did with my hair. Am I a geek or what? Afterwards, the time just suffices for packing and loading the car before I have to hurry to Valinor. We practice going on-stage without falling over our dresses and learn who has to enter from where. Then we sing our two songs for warm-up before we're dismissed for half an hour. I use the time for check-out and breakfast, where I meet Ench.
Then it's time for our last choir practice. This time, things sound really good. We don't quite get along with "Haldir's Lament", however, because we have decided to do a little scene with it. The Haldir is there, and so is the orc, but Aragorn is "either sleeping or with Arwen. Or sleeping with Arwen", so we have to wait until he shows up. When he does - it's almost noon - he gets applause, though; he really looks pretty much like the 'real' Viggo Mortensen!Aragorn. We practice the scene with the singing twice. And just for the heck of it, we give the Drinking Song a try. It sounds so beautiful that we decide to surprise Billy Boyd with it later on.
Searching for
ladyelleth, I get to witness the March of the Elves downstairs. Amusingly, the badge they have chosen for their banner is actually that of Eärendil, who is not exactly the prototypical Elf. But hey, I love Eärendil, so that's fine. And did I mention how much I love these brief fan-acts?
After I've bought my charity art-book, I find
ladyelleth in the guise of Uinen in the Hobbiton room . She is busy painting a pewter miniature. Since I know how addictive that is, I get myself one too and start to paint as well. Officially, the angry young elf figurine we both got is supposed to be Elrohir, but we both decide that it's not actually looking like an Elrohir...
This is not an Elrohir.
Because I'm so busy with painting (and with being amused by the people trying to play "Elfenhelfen"), I miss the Elven panel with Jonathan Harding, Sandro Kopp, Mark Ferguson and Craig Parker. Afterwards, I hear that it was hilarious - I'm not surprised, with these guys, it can't be anything else - and that I really missed a great show. But oh well.
We do return to Valinor for the Royd Tolkien Q&A, though.
Just when Royd gets the sign for 'One last question', Lawrence Makoare shows up to commandeer the panel for his traditional Maori eye-hand-coordination drinking game. He asks everyone who knows how to do it on stage, and Royd watches in amazement as they do their clapping dance. The champion even gets a prize in the end.
And then Billy Boyd has the last panel of the con. I'm overly excited because of the choir and also because of the Gondor scene (for which I couldn't even attend the practice sessions because of the choir). I get to know that there's a final meeting outside in a few minutes, but for now, I'm busy sitting with the rest of the choir near the central microphone while Billy Boyd is asked something about Gaelic and replies that he only knows "All is good", which in Gaelic sounds like "Shag a giraffe", and is asked to sing a song yet again and refuses yet again. Then one of our choir members steps to the mic and explains, "You're always asked to sing and never do, so now we decided to sing you a song as a welcome and a thank you for showing up here on such short notice." And we sing. It doesn't sound as good as in practice, but it seems impressive enough, because Billy seems to be really touched by it. And lo! later on he asks for a guitar and actually does sing for the whole assembly. Some people actually claim that he only did that because of our song *blushes*.
Then I rush outside to the Gondorians, finally get to know where to be when, and re-join the choir waiting for the Closing Ceremony.
... he's a true hobbit - first thing he does is take off his shoes...
...are you a choir? You learned that THIS WEEKEND?!
Lilac Wine
And then it's our time. Nervous, anyone? After two trailers, we get on stage and SING. I think we didn't sing loudly enough - the main hall is a lot larger than the small hall we practiced in after all - but what the heck, it's still wonderful. I love choirs, even when I have to sing myself...
After we all got off-stage, I rush over to the waiting Gondorians and join them when they board the stage. We re-enact Aragorn's crowning, the book-version (with the 'You bow to no-one' bit added in because it's just so beautiful). Awwwwww! Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of that, because I was on stage. Woe.
[Actually, I did find a photo of the choir. There. Isn't it prettyful?]
Then I finally can return to my seat for the rest of the ceremony. First comes the charity, then the winners of the art and video contest are announced (and one of them promptly manages to smash the glass of the goblet she gets as a prize, poor girl), then the swordsplay workshop present what they learned (they have, it seems, asked most of the stars to join in. It's particularly amusing when Lori Dungey finally clobbers the heck out of one of the warriors. Fear the Hobbit women!). Then, several of the guests perform some music - Peter Tait sings an Orc song about Cirith Ungol, and Jonathan Harding and Mana Hira Davis sing as well. Lori Dungey, Craig Parker and Mark Ferguson do a little improvisation: Craig Parker has committed a crime, but who is he and what did he do? After some questions to the audience ("Who is he?" - "Arwen!" - "What non-lethal crime did he commit?" - "Lost his passport!" (Mark Ferguson is no amused) - "Where? Name an interesting country!" - "...Holland!"), Craig is interrogated and has to find out from the questions what it is he's supposed to admit. Finally, he gets it: "I am Arwen from oo-OO-oo-land, and I lost my passport while rowing my boat from Holland..." Of course, he uses the chance to have at Mark (who lost his passport on his way to Ring*Con two years ago. For the 7th or so time.): "I lost my passport! I can't believe I've been so stupid! Such an idiot! So totally foolish!" (Mark: Grrrrr...)
The Charity Fairies!
And then it's time for the sad good-byes. For the first time, the lecturers get hold of the mic too. I think that's a really nice touch - they're important to the Con as well, after all - but of course, Friedhelm Schneidewind has to use the chance for polemizing right away ("Tolkien didn't write the book based on the film, you know!"). True as that is, there's really no need to use something like the Closing for fandom politics, especially when most people should be aware of that fact anyway. That's just bad form (and childish, too). Dr. Frank Weinreich does it far better: He uses the chance to ask for a big round of extra applause for the man without whom none of us would be gathered here. See, that is nice style. And we all applaud and cheer accordingly.
The farewells are really sad, and apparently, most of the actors think so too - there's actually the one or other tear. And, in the end, a big group hug for everyone. I love the Fellowship of the Actors, did I mention that already? I wish they could all return next year. I really wish more of them would just come as guests even if they aren't being paid for it, dammit.
Got beer?
And suddenly it's over (two hours instead of the traditional half-hour, but that's great, who wants to leave anyway?!) and all that's left to do is get rid of the Gollum card (the queues are unbelievable. I'd love to keep mine anyway, but there's still €14 on it, and I can't afford to gift them to the hotel, sorry) and say farewell to everybody. I actually manage to catch most of my friends and acquaintances for a final hug - and a brief embarassing moment when I wait for Smea to finish his conversation with Lawrence Makoare, who, of course, thinks I actually meant to talk to him, so I have to explain that I was actually just waiting to say goodbye to the guy with the cap-and-bells, lalala...
And then I find myself back in my car on the drive back home. Alas.
Oh, but look what happened! My car drove its 100,000th kilometer! Isn't that exciting!
Whee. Good thing this happened close to a lay-by.
And that's that. (Phew, done. 21 pages in Word. Which is 42 by half. Isn't it magical?)
- - -
... 'tschuldigung, aber zum Übersetzen hab ich jetzt echt nicht mehr die Muße (und die Muse auch nicht).
