On the other hand, I caught the show "Shakespeare on a Shingle" twice ...and both times enjoyed myself immensely. Basically, the show was a sendup of the Bard's greatest hits by two really fine actors. I managed to see their version of "Hamlet" and "Much Ado About Nothing"--both of which were uproarious! They also did impressions of various actors "doing" Shakespeare: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Marlon Brando among others. Frankly, I can't remember the exact details of each impression--but I do remember wiping tears of laughter from my face most often...!

Then there was The Scottish Rogues, with their bagpipes and Highland dancers. They did a great show of Scottish bagpiping accompanied by the bodhran--first at the Wharfside Music Gazebo and again near the Maypole. I recognized a couple of the belly dancers, now dressed in peasant costume...but hey! What Scotch lass'd go around with a bare midriff, I ask you? Still, the music was so good that a couple of female patrons from the crowd decided to join them, dancing, when the pipers dropped into a hornpipe. Both lasses were enthusiastic and the rest of the audience really loved it, cheering them on even if they missed a beat. It was that kind of "audience participation" which really made their show...!
Now See and Hear The Scottish Rogues! Click on the QT logo to view Steve Banks' Quicktime Movie of The Scottish Rogues as they march and play in the noonday parade--just don't forget to come back here after you've seen Steve's pics/movies of TRF on his pages (BAGPIPES.MOV 573K Copyright (C) 1996 SBanks).
Want to see more of The Scottish Rogues? Click on their pic (above) to go directly to their Gallery page here in Ryleh's World! John Dunn, Sound Master Extraordinaire, has sampled a bit of their wit and music for you to enjoy, zipped them and made them available for you to download and enjoy now!

We also did the "Haunted House"--called the "Chateau du Macabre" for the Faire. It was truly medieval: something you'd not want young children under the age of 18 to see! As the Faire brochure warns "The faint of heart, weak of stomach and innocent in years shall gain no admittance here!" Personally, I found most of the "exhibits" to be far tamer (thankfully!) than the FX in the most-recent crop of so-called "horror" movies, tho the atmosphere was superb: dark, twisting corridors leading to "candlelit" galleries, plenty of cobwebs and coffins with a thick, whitish mist wafting lazily down to the floor from under the closed lids. On the other hand, they did have one particularly scary bit which left a lot of patrons screaming in fright. That was in one gallery where they had "rotting" corpses (latex rubber over plastic bones, but fairly realistic in the dim light) immured in wall alcoves behind iron gratings. I won't go into details here so's not to spoil next year's surprise--(you can email me for a brief description if you're really curious)--but it certainly gets a shriek out of everyone who passes by!

Mid-day we heard the cry: "Make way for the King!" It was the beginning of the Grand Marche, the daily parade featuring King Henry VIII (played by Coy Sevier) and his bride-to-be, the Lady Jane Seymour, (played by Shelly Lynn Pearson), accompanied by all the entertainers, performers and townsfolk through the fairegrounds. This is always a colorful and traditional event at Renaissance faires. Everyone who can turns out for the noon parade, from the highest nobility in their sammite and velvet to the village headsman carrying his still-bloody axe easily upon his shoulders. Among the marchers was Schatzie, the German Attack Wench also known as the "Kissing Lady" (as played by Cheryl Lamkin), a lively and buxom lass who carried aloft a pair of bright-red lips (made of satin and well-stuffed) upon a wand as a token of her profession, i.e. for a dollar she would kiss the patron of your choice, leaving the print of her lips in scarlet lipstick behind. During the parade, she targeted me--so I bowed to my fate, doffed my cap to the lady and she kissed me most soundly square upon me bald pate...which was the second time this year that's happened to me!
Later that day, I was resting gratefully upon one of the many benches under an arbor, enjoying the cool shade while preparing for another photographic sortie through the grounds. Naturally, I'd taken off my cap without thinking of the lipstick imprint still on my head...
That's when I overheard two patrons, man and wife, speaking together as they passed by. I distinctly heard the man say: "I could shave my head, y'know..."
Ah, yes: bald can be beautiful!!!

I also managed to stumble into a bit of street "improv"...
I was just sauntering along, looking for photo opportunities when suddenly there was a gunshot not ten feet away! I looked up to see three pirates--one carrying a chest, another with a sword in his hand and the third holding a smoking pistol--facing down three Musketeers in a nearby alleyway. One Musketeer was on the ground, apparently "shot" in the solar plexus while his two friends were rushing to aid him. Nearby, a barwench began shouting "Help! Guards! Murder!" One of the Pirates yelled "Let's get out of here!" and the trio sprinted away up the lane. Meanwhile, the Musketeers dragged their "wounded" comrade thru a gateway and out of sight.
I'm still not sure what that was all about--but it's one of those "cameo" bits which still remains vividly in my mind...

Then there was Dobber, the Black Faerie (aka Patrick Flanigan)...
I'd seen him prowling the lanes on Saturday, usually accompanied by three to four Goths/vampyres, but never managed to get his picture. He didn't actually "say" anything: he'd just growl...but with his costume, he was menacing enough... I mean, the bone batwings, the black leather, the black lipstick and eyeshadow, the Freddy Krueger fingernails--he was a Black Faerie indeed!
On Sunday evening, tho, he shed the claws, sat down in the middle of the lane and started building a sanddragon. He was good! He still didn't say anything, but as he modeled the body, folks'd give him their spare change which he used as the "scales" on his dragon. When I left, he was about halfway done ...and at least $25 to $35 richer by then for his efforts!!!

Understand, those are just the highlights of the Texas Renaissance Festival. There was far more going on both days--but I simply couldn't be in two, three, four or more places at once! I'd highly recommend TRF to anyone who's even thinking of going--it's an excellent Faire and one well worth seeing. Just plan to leave each day around 6pm to avoid the outbound traffic jam...unless, of course, you just can't tear yourself away from all the fun!.