1st Charity Sci-Fi, FIlm, TV and Comic Event, Alfreton, Derbyshire

A new show, presented by Mark Busby of MPGBE Entertainments - 1st Charity Sci-Fi, FIlm, TV and Comic Event - was held on the 16th April at Alfreton Grange Arts College, Grange Street, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 7JA. Tickets were available from http://charityscififilmtvevent.moonfruit.com/  and on the door.

I cannot commend more highly Mark and his team's hard work to try and bring an attractive and worthwhile show to the circuit in aid exclusively of charities. He had tirelessly worked to get as much publicity as possible and done everything right, but it still was not well attended. Due mainly to the lack of footfall in the immediate neighbourhood and visible signs from the center of town to direct the public in, it failed due to these minor points. The actual venue - a gymnasium within an Arts College - was perfect for a first event of this kind. As it happened, barely a trickle of visitors attended and basic expenses were not covered by takings. This leaves Mark in the unenviable position of owing a substantial amount to those who travelled to attend, in spite of having found all accomodations at very good deals and in some situations free as charity donations. I know that Mark, although truly gutted with the result, is philosophical enough to see the lessons learnt from this experience will make him stronger and better prepared next time.

I am certain that this event and organiser will do great things in the future and he will certainly be able to count on my unstinting support and that of other guests attending for future events!
More power to your elbow Mark!



Group photo of guests attending the 1st Charity Sci-Fi, TV and Comic Event, 16th April 2011



Upcoming shows...

In the coming couple of months there is a lot happening. Please click on links or posters to be taken to event home pages.

Next is a signing at ‎3 Darths Comics and the Harvey Centre, Harlow, who will be hosting another Sci-fi and Comic Book Weekend over the weekend of Saturday 30th April to Monday 2nd May 2011 !!

Guests include:

WARWICK DAVIS 30TH April only
BRIAN MUIR
RUSTY GOFFE
ALAN FLYNG 30th April only
DANNY JOHN JULES

More to follow...

Members of the 501st will be in attendance to entertain and collect in aid of the NSPCC and Make-A-Wish Foundation

Next up is the much anticipated show presented by Timeless Collectors  The TV, Film and Toy Collectors Event and will be held on the 14th May at Timeless Collectors, Mountbatten Leisure Center, Alexandra Park, Portsmouth, PO2 9QA

The Dorset Troopers and Southern Troopers will be in attendance entertaining the crowds and keeping the public and us, the guests, in line! LOL

Amongst those attending as guests are:

COLIN BAKER - DR WHO

RUSTY GOFFE - STAR WARS AND HARRY POTTER

LEE MCDONALD - GRANGE HILL

ERKAN MUSTAFA - GRANGE HILL

JOHN COPPINGER - STAR WARS

TOBY PHILPOTT - STAR WARS

PAM ROSE - STAR WARS

ALAN FLYNG - STAR WARS

DEREK LYONS - STAR WARS

JOHN CHAPMAN - STAR WARS

AND MORE...

This show promises to be very entertaining with lots for the public to see and do and a Mecca for families.

At the end of May (28th and 29th May), I am excited to announce I will be appearing again in Taastrup, outside Copenhagen,  for the excellent Michael Nielsen and Per Valgreen of Dansk Star Wars Loge, Denmark! The show is called Star Wars Weekend. The event is being held at Taastrup Medborgerhus, Hovedgade 71, Taastrup, Denmark.

This show is guaranteed to be one of the very best organised of the fan-based conventions of the year, as the organisers are well-known for their great attention to detail and unfailing hard work to guarantee a fun event. This will be a full weekend for the first time, with plenty to see and do, as well as two fight demonstrations presented by Nick Gillard, Stunt Arranger for the Prequel Star Wars films!!! There are five signing guests booked to the event:

JOHN COPPINGER - STAR WARS

NICK GILLARD - STAR WARS

PAM ROSE - STAR WARS

RICHARD BONEHILL - STAR WARS

ALAN FLYNG - STAR WARS.

We look forward to meeting you there and will be guarded and entertained by members of the 501st Nordic Garrison.

On the 11th June I will be in Stockholm, Sweden, with Derek Lyons, where we will be signing at The Science fiction, Fantasy and Horror Bookstore of Stockholm, Sweden , situated at Västerlånggatan 48, Gamla stan, Stockholm, Sweden. Derek and I will bring a good selection of photos for signing, but we also encourage anyone with their own items to bring them along too.

Further information can be found by visiting the shop's website or by contacting it by email or on Facebook.

Darth Vader's Dark Santa Galactic Grotto event for Action for Pre-Eclampsia, Colchester. 18 Dec. 2010.




Ace Comics, Colchester, England.

  I had been looking forward immensely to this event for some time - the last event before Christmas and a timely opportunity to try to help raise some money and, more importantly for so many, awareness of this tragic condition.

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-related condition that includes elevated blood pressure. Specifically, it is the new onset of high blood pressure and proteinuria (protein in the urine) in a pregnant woman who is beyond 20 weeks gestation. In general, mild preeclampsia is rarely complicated, and both the mother and the baby tend to do fine. Severe preeclampsia is different. In contrast to mild preeclampsia, severe preeclampsia has been shown to be associated with numerous possible negative outcomes. The most common problems associated with severe preeclampsia are:

•Maternal liver problems
•Maternal kidney problems
•Need for cesarean delivery
•Preterm birth
•Fetal growth restriction
•Respiratory problems in the baby

With timely diagnosis, this condition is easily treatable and leads to successful outcomes, whilst without treatment it can even lead to maternal and baby fatality. This fact was brought home to us forcefully, as one of the troopers from the Star Warriors  event had lost the mother of his son twelve hours after birth. And so, there was no doubt in my mind, nor that of the other signers that we needed to be there and do what little we could to help. Also signing were Derek Lyons, Harry 'Aitch' Fielder and Brian Muir, who sadly had to cancel due to ill-health.

The weather was a bit of a worry, as London had already had a good covering the day before and another snow storm was anticipated for the day of the event to blow in and affect the South-East of England again. It was like filming, as I rose at 3.30 a.m to be sure to shower and breakfast in good time to go dig the car out (which I did with no problems) and to drive through hilly South London to Derek's house for our pick-up at 7 a.m. I arrived at 6.30 a.m. and was followed shortly by Rijn and Merlin Gard, brothers with a common mad sense of humour and cheerfulness, with whom I bonded immediately. Definitely my kind of silly daftness courses through their veins too!!! Derek was on an early morning high and kept us all entertained for the entire trip to Colchester, non-stop!

The Dodge owned by Merlin made short shrift of the snow and we were soon on the outskirts of Colchester and diverting to the home of another Star Warrior family to pick up more friends and kit for the day's event. At Ace Comics, we were met by Harry 'Aitch' Fielder, the staff and owners before the shop opened and we set to getting our photos out. Jeff Collett was nominated as our 'Guest Bitch'. for which I must thank him profusely! Coffee, heater, water, a fellow diabetic with stand-by supplies against low-sugar symptoms...I have never had such a solicitous and friendly 'Bitch' before! LOL.



Jeff Collett - our 'Bitch' - center, with Derek Lyons and Harry 'Aitch' Fielder.

The morning proved slightly slow, due to the bitter cold outdoors, but we did have a lot of fun with the families who came in, as the kids interacted with the Star Warriors and filed in to see Dark Santa. We had brought giveaways with us to give to the children, which were well received and we also offered to sign them for a pound for the charity. I also sold my bookmarks for £2.50 for charity. As time went by, the money started to accumulate and we three signers had a lot of laughs along the way. As I always say, you can't get actors together without lots of laughter! Aitch was in his usual good form and Derek played the joker, as usual.


Merlin, as Boba Fett with Rijn behind.



Happy visitors.

As the morning wore on, we started to hear that the snow was falling heavily back in London and making it's way North-Eastwards towards Colchester. By lunchtime another 6 inches had fallen in London and it was mooted that we might have to pack up early to make sure we could get back to south London. We stopped for lunch at 12.30 and had a very nice meal provided for everyone and caught up with those who had been out and about in the streets pulling in the visitors and collecting for the charity. It was already bitterly cold and my compliments and sympathy go to all those out and about collecting in that cold weather!!!

As it turned out, the snow was getting worse and so we were asked to pack up and make an early departure to try and beat the weather. I rapidly signed about 20 - 25 photos for Harry to carry on selling for charity, as he had to get to the North of London, which was not affected so badly by the snow. A presentation was made outside the shop, just as the snow started to hit Colchester. I believe the check was for about £1700 already collected, so we were all very happy.


The presentation of the cheque to the charity by Merlin Gard.

The journey back with Merlin and Rijn did take a very long time, but thanks to Merlin's excellent knowledge of back doubles, we made the trip in reasonably good time, considering the weather! My especial thanks for that!

So, although the weather did it's best to stump us, we managed to do a little to help and we all look forward to another opportunity in better weather to come back and support these wonderfully friendly and seriously generous new friends!

A Private Signing at the British Film Institute, 29th November 2010

I drove to Derek Lyons' house to meet up and travel together to central London, in order to meet up with two really nice collectors - Gary Hanson from Seattle and Graham Hughes from London.

Gary and Graham had previously been to Collectormania, but as neither Derek nor I were attending, they arranged to meet us privately. We also met up with Ted Western and enjoyed a relaxed and very enjoyable day of chat and drinks at the Waterfront Cafe of the BMI. Before we knew it, we realised we had been chatting away for four hours! But that was no hardship in such pleasant and relaxed company!!!



Myself with Derek Lyons, Gary Hanson, Ted Western and Graham Hughes at the BFI, London.



"Phase III", The Dark Side of Daedalus Con, Bochum-Werne, Germany. 5th - 7th November 2010.

This year, I attended as the sole Star Wars guest, but in the company of my dear friend, Wendy Lowder - another 'veteran' of the British Film Industry. Wendy and I have been friends for over 30 years and share many experiences filming, starting with appearing together in the film 'Breaking Glass', starring Hazel O'Connor - a Punk extravaganza - and 'Quatermas and the Planet People' - a film for TV, in which we played rather peculiar hippy-types - both filmed in 1980 in the UK.



Myself and Wendy at a previous convention in Bournemouth, UK

Wendy in the film 'The Missionary', 1982.

Wendy in the Roald Dahl film, The Witches, with Anjelika Huston and Mai Zetterling.

Wendy Lowder.

Wendy has appeared in countless films, including; Willow, Shadowlands, Superman 1 and 2, Ragtime, The Mirror Cracked, Octopussy, Victor Victoria and Krull, as well as appearing on TV and in iconic music videos. Here she is in Kool and The Gang's video for 'Fresh'. Wendy is the blond ugly sister!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ1XwGDcA4&feature=related

The Convention.

Wendy and I flew out together on Thursday the 4th November on a minute twin-prop plane and were met in Düsseldorf Airport by my friends Markus Tschentschel and Rolf Prippenow. We were driven into Bochum through a gridlocked motorway system (for no apparent reason, it was the same throughout Germany that day) and brought to our hotel - the same as last year - the Hotel Specht.....



Das Hotel Specht - official con hotel.

We took the time to wander around the area a little and do a little window shopping and we both bought in a few 'necessary' bits and pieces. Later that evening, Markus and Rolf returned to take us out to a lovely Greek restaurant in a delightful cobbled courtyard and, I must say, the food was delicious and generous! Our thanks to you both for the wonderful hospitality!!! We had a very convivial evening chatting, giving Wendy a chance to get to know our hosts a little better. She is of the same opinion as me; they are very kind, considerate and good people - the sort it is a pleasure to spend time with! And so to the hotel and bed.

Next morning - Friday - we had a very filling and varied continental breakfast before our first day at the convention. Wendy was impressed with this small, family-owned hotel and it's charming staff, all of whom speak excellent English. We had a while to kill and so went back to a few of the shops we had surveyed the day before, giving Wendy a chance to buy a couple of very nice tops and a gilet. A girl can never have too many clothes I am told!!! We ate lunch in the hotel from a very alluring menu and both had fabulous meals, cooked to perfection!

On arrival at the convention venue, we were met by many friends from last year, proving that intimate and family orientated shows like this can attract and hold a devoted following, happy to return year in, year out, to experience the friendly and comradely atmosphere, whilst offering a hearty welcome to new visitors.




Lovely Bianka Riepegerste and her two adorable children, grown so much since last year!

 Wendy was welcomed literally with open arms and she was put at ease immediately. Amongst fellow performers, we met Der Klingolaus, the Klingons' answer to Santa Claus (www.klingolaus.de), Freddy Bee, the convention MC and comedian (www.freddybee.de), a strong turnout by the 501st German Garrison (http://www.501st.de), led by Garrison Commander Markus Rau, and a host of costumed role-players, LARP and gamers from last year, as well as new groups! All in all, an impressive turnout!

Wendy and I were offered a table with the German Garrison, for which, once again, I thank Markus Rau, and we duly set out our stall. It took minutes only before we were in conversation with everyone passing by, as we found ourselves in the main entrance lobby with all attendees passing us to enter the convention!



Wendy and I with Ettore Holle, a great friend from Bussum in Holland.



The opening ceremony at 7 p.m.was fun, with lots of cheering and shouting as the assorted line-up of guests and groups attending were announced.


A few of the audience at the opening ceremony.

The evening soon turned into a talking shop as all caught up on news of each other's year and shows attended.since the last Daedalus Con in 2009, and Der Klingolaus brought the scheduled proceedings to an end with his usual loud and hysterical characterisation.

Der Klingolaus!

The evening continued through to the early hours with an informal party fuelled by schnapps-style exotic mead-based shots - from plain mead to cherry liqueur mead and even chili mead! As in previous years, the catering was, as ever, beautifully and tirelessly presented by the lovely Inge Meierkord, Marcel Meierkord and Inge's friend, Torsten. An army marches on it's stomach and Inge knows how to please!!!

Day two of the convention started on Saturday at 10 a.m. Attendances were up on last year and the talks and events planned went on in good order. At 12 noon I did a talk and Q &A, after being taken in to the auditorium by the 501st and then guarded on stage! It looked like an Imperial coup was taking place! :o)

501st Escort for my Q & A, with Markus Rau front left.

At 1 p.m. Wendy was the host of a funny and vigorous coffee meeting in one of the side rooms, attended by a good variety of people, eager to hear from Wendy of her experiences in film and especially of her work on Octopussy and The Living Daylights. Questions veered off onto all sorts of tangents. Wendy took it all in her stride and we had a very entertaining time with lots of laughter! 



Getting settled for Wendy's coffee meeting.

As the afternoon progressed, fan films, talks, computer gaming discussions took place in adjacent rooms, as well as the first of two performances by a band called Astray Path - a Goth/rock band with fantasy themed music - interesting!

The Klingolaus had everyone in stitches again, as he invited audience members onto stage, one by one, to perform a poem or song or receive a forfeit. Wendy, being a good sport. went up to recite a short poem, but received the Klingolaus's forfeit anyway! LOL



Wendy recites poetry on the Klingolaus's lap!!!



A spanking with the Klingolaus's sword is Wendy's reward - but she didn't complain.
In fact, I think she rather liked it! :o)

Later still, a competition to ascertain which costumes made by their wearers were judged to be the best took place, with myself, the Klingolaus and a TV writer/designer I had met the previous year called Stevie, as judges. The kids were particularly cute, of course and so each entrant had a first prize - how can you not give first prize to every kid? The best adult costume was won by the winner of last year's competition, but this year in a fantastic fantasy costume with metal armour, leather and real chain mail.

A winner in the junior section.



A three year old winner!



Rohan the Warrior, winner in the adult section.



The assembled winners in all categories.



At the end of the competition and with everyone who entered having received a prize of some description (for whatever categories we could invent), all competitors climbed onto the stage for a group shot....

There had already been assorted performances on the stage by the varied role-play and costume clubs present and the evening progressed with the second performance by Astray Path.

Astray Path

At 10 p.m. the party moved downstairs again and into the club atmosphere of the dance floor in the basement of the venue. Mead and liqueur shots were the order of the day and the party progressed into the wee small hours (so I am told!).

A bar full of mystery drinks!

Ettore Holle, the Dutch friend mentioned earlier, decided to stay over and had booked a room through the conference organisers at our hotel. Unfortunately, by the time the three of us got back there, the owners had retired and so Wendy, Ettore and myself ended up all sharing a room! As Wendy and I both wrote on photographs dedicated to Ettore the next day, it was a pleasure sleeping with him!!! (He slept on the floor by the way!!! LOLOL).

Sunday dawned and we three showered and breakfasted before being collected again for the final day. We arrived as Lars Adler and Stephan Wonczak were demonstrating sword fighting with Japanese swords and a bicycle wheel!?!

Stephan and Lars demonstrate ... something! LOL. Sorry guys - missed the lecture!

More fan films and exhibitions were on show this morning too, with new exhibitors replacing those who had left the night before. I had agreed the previous day to appear in a fan film as a Police Chief in LA, and quickly perused dialogue given me in German, requiring translation to English and then a mixed accent of a Bronx cop living in LA! A challenge at the last minute, but I enjoy challenges! It then transpired that having done these three pages, I would be needed again for a location shoot in Dresden, possibly some time soon! So, Germany, here I come again!!! :o)

Rene Altman, myself and Mario Schmaeske dressed for the LAPD fan film.

The day passed quickly and very soon it was time for the closing ceremony, conducted in his inimitable fashion by Freddy Bee...

Freddy wins through!

As each and every participant and club was acknowledged, the organisers applauded their contribution along with the rest of us! This has been a memorable weekend in the presence of good and generous friends and I look forward to this event continuing to grow in coming years.

 



Wendy and me with the 501st German Garrison.



Markus Tschentschel and Thomas Riepegerste - principal organisers - say farewell and thanks to the convention.

Wendy and I left straight from the venue with Markus and Rolf and headed for the airport again, there to have a meal together before saying our farewells. All went well - we had the same twin-prop aircraft for the return flight and arrived in London Gatwick Airport about a quarter of an hour late. This quarter of an hour lost was unfortunate, as, by the time we had collected my car from the long-term car park and set out for Southampton to rendezvous with the ferry to the Isle of Wight, where Wendy lives, we were still 15 minutes late and Wendy missed the boat! But Wendy is made of sterner stuff and she slept in the ferry terminal, before catching the first boat across - arriving home at 6.15 a.m! I arrived back in London at 3 a.m.

So, it only remains to thank everyone involved for making this convention and visit so memorable and I look forward to seeing everyone again soon!



BIG C STAR WARS EVENT NORWICH CASTLE MALL: 02 October 2010 10:00 - 03 October 2010 16:00

UPDATE: From Lee Nelson....
Thank you for coming to Norwich for The Big C Charity Star Wars Event, I would just like to let you know we raised £2,273.54. Once again thank you Alan, for making the weekend a success!

To see a newspaper article covering the event, please click here: http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/stars_wars_stars_in_norwich_1_662401?action=logout



In response to a call passed to me by Derek Lyons and Laurie Goode, I stepped in as a last minute replacement for Kenny Baker at this event.

The Norwich Star Wars Club, in partnership with Gordon Barber Funeral Directors and The Norwich Castle Mall Management staged this event to raise money for the Big C cancer appeal on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd October 2010, starting with the arrival by stretch limo of myself and my old friend, Alan Harris (Bossk the fearsome bounty hunter from The Empire Strikes Back),at the Castle Meadow entrance to the Mall. We were greeted by members of The Norwich Star Wars Club Heroes and Villains Costume Gang, including, amongst others, Darth Vader, Darth Maul, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Han Solo, X Wing Pilot, Tie Fighter Pilot, a fully functioning R2-D2 and of course a guard of Stormtroopers.



Alan Harris (Bossk the Bounty Hunter) and members of the Norwich Club travelling to the event in the limo!


Inside the Mall, the Club's backdrops of the Tantive IV Corridor, Endor Bunker and Hoth Ice Cave with the Millennium Falcon, all designed by Owen Wright, were on display. The backdrops were available for members of the public to take their own photographs with their favourite Star Wars characters. All the Club requested was for a donation to be put in the collecting buckets for the Big C Appeal. Alternatively photographs taken by the Club's photographer were provided, printed and mounted immediately, for £5. Again the proceeds went towards the target of raising £5000 for the Big C Appeal.



Alan Harris and myself pose for a group shot with the assembled members of the Norwich Star Wars Club on the second day

Richard Walker, President of the club and himself a person living with cancer, was amazing in his energy and constant barking for attention on the PA and was responsible for drawing in hundreds and hundreds of visitors and enthusiasts to the displays.


No shortage of visitors! The Flag of Friendship is in the background of this shot - a fully LFL sanctioned attempt to get as many costuming groups around the world to contribute their club, garrison, squad badges and patches for charity and to cover the world map in the design.

The Lucasfilm sanctioned Flag of Friendship

 There was absolutely no shortage of guests and everyone I met was really friendly and welcoming! If only all conventions were like this!

On the second day I had a nice surprise with the arrival of Mark Whitworth, who I had supported in a charity auction for early onset Parkinsons research. He brought with him a very nice certificate thanking me and many others, including his own club, The New Sensation's Scooter Club,  for contributing to having raised £6,500!!! Well done Mark and I hope your plans for next year work out! Count me in again, if I can help!!! :O)


Mark and I hold the Thank you certificate. Made my day! Thanks Mark!!!

Alan and I had a great time talking with the public and, as is often the case, the children were invariably the experts! It is great to see eager faces enthused and engaged in something that gives them pleasure!


Marcel Prag (Bobba Fett) and his two sons pose for a photo with Alan Harris

 I hope to hear back from Richard that they have raised an amazing amount towards their target from these very active and enjoyable two days! I must also thank the driver of the stretch limo, Shawn of WOW-A-LIMO, for being such a great sport with his car. If you want to hire him you will find the company on Facebook! :o)

The WOW-A-LIMO car with Darth Vader (Peter Bean), R4D4 and Norwich Castle as a backdrop.

 The drive home was pleasant and punctuated early on, as I left the city, by the appearance of a brilliant rainbow tail hanging over where I had just left! A portent, hopefully, of further success for Richard and the club!

A pot of gold surely lies in the collection pales of the Norwich Star Wars Club for their tireless and cheerful work collecting for The Big C !

Thank you for coming to Norwich for The Big C Charity Star Wars Event, I would just like to let you know we raised £2,273.54. Once again thank you Alan, for making the weekend a sucess!  

STARMANIA 2010, SWANSEA. 25th and 26th September.

UPDATE

It is now apparent that Barry Rees, the organiser of this event, has bounced cheques on at least six of us guests, as well as the backers, the caterers and the marquee company. This matter is now in the hands of the law.

I am prefacing this blog entry with my words written in the lead-up to this event, as I think they bear reading, in the light of events as they actually occurred..... A write-up by an attending journalist follows the description of the reality that was Starmania 2010 at the end of this entry.......

In the lead-up to this event - probably the largest Sci-fi convention in Wales, as the organisers describe it - there have been a lot of hiccups! But, finally, it is nearly upon us and the list of signers remains impressive, though large!

The new final venue announced is The National Waterfront Museum, Swansea, SA1 3RD. Of the three venues announced through the year, this has to be the best option, as it is near the city-centre and easily accessible by train and plane, as well as by car!

The advertised list of guest signers is as follows:

1. Dave Prowse
2. Kenny Baker - Saturday only
3. Brian Muir
4. Peter Mayhew -CANCELLED
5. Richard LeParmentier
6. Peter Burroughs
7. Jerome Blake
8. Alan Flyng
9. Derek Lyons
10. Jeremy Bulloch - CANCELLED
11. Alan Harris
12. Chris Parsons
13. Catherine Munro
14. Pam Rose
15. Little Kiran
16. Toby Philpott
17. John Chapman
18. Stephanie English
19. Chris Muncke
20. Mike Edmonds
21. Garrick Hagon - CANCELLED
22. Peter Roy
23. Shane Rimmer
24. Ian Whyte
25. Stephen MD Chang - CANCELLED
26. Laurie Goode
27. Ted Western

Hopefully, enough people will come and meet us and the traders to make this worth repeating on an annual basis...that depends on the public. But it is clear that a Con of this scope has been sadly lacking from the roster of events for the Principality and this could attract many much-needed visitors! I do, however, have reservations about the number of guests booked - we could all be twiddling our thumbs if it is lightly attended!!! Time will tell...

After selling out of photos at Bayern Park, in Germany, I have re-ordered! I will also try a few new things too, to see if they are attractive to the public. First up will be simple laminated bookmarks.



                                                     A banner I did for Facebook to draw attention to the event.

Finally, the accommodation is set and we have just to wait on the travel day prior to the event!




Pre-orders for Swansea are being handled by Mark Cookson, who handled the same for London Film and Comic Con and Jason Griffiths is assisting us - the signers - with getting all we need to be ready on the day. Barring any more changes, the next report will be of the event itself, as I will blog both days from the hotel.



Well, the travel day to Wales arrived and I picked up Derek Lyons and Pam Rose and set off on the M4 for Wales. We stopped off halfway to rendezvous with Stephanie English, Rick Stanley and Dave Louis Oldbury at a salubrious service station, known as Leigh Delamere. The name is the most attractive thing about it, of course, and soon we were off and approaching the Severn Bridge. I could see flashes in my rear-view mirror, thinking Steph was flashing me for my attention. It was, in fact, Rick photographing the approaching bridge! LOL.

Arriving in Port Talbot, we reached the familiar edifice of wrack and ruin known as The Grand Hotel! My oh my!!! What a misnomer!!! The organiser finally turned up after all of the signers had arrived. We were finally offered a fish and chip supper rapidly unwrapped by the organiser's wife and daughter - decidedly unappealing - and then off to bed.

Friday night is fish and chip night in old Port Talbot Town!

My room had twin 2'6" beds (I am 2'3" wide!!! LOL), a bathroom larger than the bedroom with a shower lacking a pipe to connect the taps to the shower head, a washbasin with the hot tap sheared off...... and a night of discomfort and cold ensued - and a carpet beetle caught making it's way to my case! Deceased! RIP!!!.

The chearful welcome sign on the door to the hotel!!! And oh, how tempting!!!

Next morning, I did my impression of a walrus stuck in a bucket as I tried to take a bath ( a daily occurrence in this hotel, naturally) and, after a decidedly bargain basement breakfast, we set out in a flotilla of cars to go to the advertised venue, which turned out not to be the National Waterfront Museum........ but a tent!!! A draughty wind tunnel of a tent on the grass to the side of the museum! As the day progressed, the damp, which had risen from the earth overnight, condensed onto the roof and support poles. A battle, which lasted the two days began, to keep the constant drips from above ruining our photos.

The day was lightly attended and those signers, who had not succeeded in finding a table on which to set up in the tent, but were accommodated within the museum, had a very much more successful day. Entry into the tent cost £5 and the National Waterfront Museum of Wales is free entry, with constantly arriving visitors attending!!! No brainer!!!

Dave Prowse, Ted Western and Peter Roy await the thronging crowds...insert the rolling tumbleweed here!

Pam Rose seated with Dave Louis Oldbury  - and an empty tent!

We did manage a laugh, in spite of it all, as always happens when a band of unruly and loud actors congregate.


Shane Rimmer, Alan Harris, Lindsay Muir and Rick Stanley ... and an empty tent!

That laugh evaporated rapidly as lunch passed us by and a sporadic cup of tea remained all that was offered to keep us going. Finally, at about 3 pm we were offered something to eat! Pig in a bun or cow in a bun! I have to tell you, as a diabetic on a strict regimen of pills, this was a disaster! I settled on the pig! It arrived looking as if it was semi-digested, having been hacked into tiny bits and mixed around with sweet sugary apple sauce to bind it together! Big, big mistake!!! The vegetarian option day one was a dry bun - period!!! The tent lay 100 meters from the museum entrance and the conveniences another 50 meters inside, through a myriad of costumers and displays. I was ill twice and being brutally honest found the distance too far for comfort otherwise! I leave that remark to your imaginations to complete!!! Absolutely awful and embarrassing!!!

The day crawled to a premature end, as we were sitting twiddling our thumbs for the most part, watching Dave Prowse mop up all the sales. The event had been laid out with all the toy stalls just inside the tent and then us. Dave took over two tables facing the incoming guests at the head of the table in a U-shape layout. After parents had spent on their children to buy figures, magic tricks, lightsabres etc, little money remained, and so they headed straight for Vader and that was that! The organiser had been warned in the friendliest of fashions by me from an early date to stop booking more and more guests, as this was going to be the inevitable result! 

Customers!

In addition, many of the signers were determined not to stay for the second day, but we jointly agreed to give it a try. Certain guests did elect to go and were not missed at all, in spite of being advertised as principal guests!

That evening, we were all invited by the backer's wife, Morgan, to a meal on them at the Indian restaurant local to the 'Grunge' Hotel. This proved to be a triumph of PR, as it lifted all out spirits and we all enjoyed a fantastic meal of the highest standard! Naturally, conversation did include talk of our organiser and his uninspired efforts, matched by realities adrift from promises! Nevertheless, all of us, veterans not only of Star Wars films but also international careers with extensive experience of conventions, decided to make the most of the second day.

Fed guests are happy guests - lesson one!

We should never have bothered! A half-marathon started close to our position and onlookers, gathering to watch it start, had no idea what we were there for, as little to no advertising had made the event known to the public! I have to take my hat off to the Ewoks, Galactic Knights and the Milton Keynes Garrison members trooping the event, as, without their efforts, most of this fortunate resource of potential attendees might have passed us by!!! I am very proud of and grateful for the award of Honorary Memberships to both the MK Garrison as well as the Galactic Knights! Thank you so much all! Unfortunately, with all their good efforts we were more of a curiosity than an attraction and little to no sales were made.

Milton Keynes Garrison Honorary Membership.



Galactic Knights Honorary Membership.

Richard LeParmentier finds time to read the small print of his paper - again!

I would so like to say that I expect this same event to make a welcome appearance on the roster of conventions next year, but I would be lying! It will take place again, but not under this management - of that I'm pretty sure. The constant barrage of lies and half-truths, used to keep us on-side, have permanently prejudiced any further involvement with him!

This second night was supposed to be the end-of-con party at the local casino - a peculiar venue to say the least! Actors were annoyed to find themselves being obliged to show ID, credit cards and fill out forms for membership, in order to access the 'party'! I had been there before and knew what to expect, having been dragged down a few weeks previously, only to sit in this same venue, mistaken, along with Stephanie English, for auctioneers! Another story altogether. The highlight of that abortive trip had been a terrible karaoke singer belting out Tom Jones songs to the ceiling at great volume, oblivious to his audience. I purloined his audience as I burst out laughing uncontrollably - sounding like Muttley, as I am known around the world - and forced the audience and table players to listen and watch me. No film of it exists, but there is a recording of the singing in the background drowned out by Muttley! LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_Q35-dTMxU The Laugh!!!

Having experienced every sensory discomfort already, we were cringingly embarrassed by an order barked out by the casino manager (at the behest of the convention organiser), that all non-actors were to leave the table and the finger buffet to the actors, masquerading as the only decent meal of the day. I failed to say earlier that this second day I received a salad bap - my meal for the whole day!!! Of course, some of the costumers present made to leave and did, before Pam Rose and the rest of us protested the situation and the remainder were asked to join us. Too late, of course, to rectify this gross error of judgement!

Here is a link to an article written by an attending journalist, without the benefit of knowing the behind-the-scenes story....http://www.obsessedwithfilm.com/movie-news/owf-are-star-struck-at-starmania-2010.php

So my dear friends, there it is. An adventure, certainly! A fun time with old friends -  for the most-part, yes! But a successful convention and to be recommended - NO!

And to top it all, at least eight cheques from the organiser are now bouncing like . . . . B>A>L>L>S!!!!!!!!!!!!! Watch this space for updates!!!!!!