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FROME GAMESCON Sunday 11th July, Assembly Rooms "We had no idea if we would be there with just three little boys and a dog on a piece of string" said Damiaen Spirrel of Hybrid UK, one of the five companies who banded together to bring this unique event to the Frome Festival. "We had over two dozen people here all day just helping people with new games, these "helpers" were explaining to people how to play a multitude of games and would just sit down and play with anyone!" said Ryan Coyle. The world of collectable card games was also represented by Acheron Cards and Neil Barnes from Acheron was excited at the turnout from all over the area. "The attendance never dropped below 100 from the time we opened the doors at 10am till the time we finished at 5pm. Everyone that attended seemed totally taken by surprise at the size and scale and professionalism of the event, the people playing both Magic the Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh loved the opportunity to compete against each other!" beamed Neil. "The event had been trailed on over 50 Web sites, in five papers and on five radio stations, but we were still amazed at the distance some people came for the event, we even had a contingent arrive from the Exeter Games Club said Pete. The event was supported by various manufacturers and games inventors. People all had the opportunity to play with any game free of charge. In fact there was not even a charge on the door to enter the event, so what did the five participating businesses get from the day? One of the organisers, Bernard Pearson from The Cunning Artificer in Wincanton unveiled the new Terry Pratchett Game here at the GamesCon. The first time this had been seen anywhere in the world. "Watch Out" is the new board game that is eagerly awaited by Terry Prachett's 30 million readers. "We were delighted that the first move was made by Martin Bax, the Frome Festival Director against the Author of the game, Trevor Truran, it was a move that would have made the residents of Ankh Morpork proud, beamed Bernard. "We had a threefold reason for putting on this event, firstly it was a thank you to the people of Frome for supporting our businesses throughout the year and it was a way for us to give something back, secondly it heightens the awareness for people outside of Frome that we exists and thirdly it was also an opportunity for us to support Martin Bax and the amazing Frome Festival. We added to the diversity of the Festival with a fun event that rounded off the ten days with a smile" said Pete. There were a series of informal and popular talks held appropriately in the bar by games authors and fantasy artists. Greg Duncan gave an especially enlightening talk on the process of inventing his game called "Cabal" from designing, producing and marketing the game and tells how he came to the eventual conclusion that a small percentage of a positive number is better than a large percentage of a negative one! So all you potential games inventors, beware! There were winners of great prizes for the competitions ranging from a Tantrix Challenge to a best Painted Miniature Competition. Above, left to right, are Thomas Stephenson, aged 10, organiser Ryan Coyle and Sean Kelly, aged 15, from Frome. Thomas won the best painted miniature competition for the under 15s and Sean won the best painted miniature for the 15 plus category. People who came to the event were also astonished that so many people in the area play all sorts of games and that board games are as popular now as ever! "We have been so encouraged by the incredible response to the event, it is pretty certain to be bigger and better next year," said Pete. Pete Minall FILMFROME GALA EVENING: Sunday 11th July, Merlin Theatre There was much to enjoy in composer John Law’s original score which conveyed the eerie sense of isolation that confronted Shackleton’s fateful 1914-16 expedition to the South Pole. Law performed the piece live on keyboards, with Jon Lloyd on soprano sax, Mike Vince on percussion and a ‘soundscape’ mixed by Will Angeloro. The film was not for dog lovers, especially those with a soft spot for huskies, because as the plight of Shackleton’s men becomes more desperate, the 70 dogs they have brought along and cared for throughout the film have to be disposed of. The film spares the graphic detail but the implication is there in the men’s reaction to losing their companions. One of the most striking images in the film was the silhouette of a man straddling the bowsprit of the Endurance as the ship cuts its way through the ice. Eventually, the ship is defeated by the ice and crushed by the enormous pressure bearing down on its bows. Afterwards, it was suggested that next year’s finale might benefit from going back to the seats-of-your-pants workshop approach that seemed to give Sunrise its extra special quality. Judging by the success of Verdi’s Requiem Mass at this year’s classical summer school, the formula seems to work consistently well for other parts of the festival. |
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The gala evening began with a varied assortment of films and video art made by film-makers and artists based in the South-West. Among the highlights was Will Adcock’s The Bear and a series of one-minute shorts produced by the Engine Room studio in Bridgwater. In the interval, Frome and Selwood Slow Food Convivium served a three-course meal of Sharpham brie from Devon with gooseberry salsa, sausages and bacon from Boyton Farm near Warminster with blackcurrant sauce, and redcurrant cake with strawberry sauce and chocolate pudding. For more information on the Slow Food movement contact Peter MacFadyen on 01373 466399. Stephen Tate THE GREAT FROME FESTIVAL This years Frome Festival Treasure Hunt has been won by Joanna Harvey and Colin Charles, both from Frome. Joanna is seen here being presented with the prize, a beautifully crafted solid silver drop pendant created by designer goldsmith Annette Gabbedy who also kindly donated the piece. Helen Minall from Wassail Games would like to thank all the people from Frome who took part in this year's hunt for supporting the Frome Festival by buying the Treasure Hunt booklet. "We raised just about £300," commented Helen, "but equally as important was the fun that people had wandering around Frome looking for clues and really observing parts of their town for the first time. It was great to see so many families out over the Festival period clutching their Treasure Hunt booklets and watching the joy on peoples faces as they discovered answers." Joanna and Colin estimated that they took about four hours over three days, out and about in Frome looking for the answers. "The really hard one was the Super Sixer clue," smiled a delighted Joanna. " We took an age over the anagram and eventually decided that part of the anagram could be the word "cameras", so we went out once again looking carefully at CCTV cameras and the like and then while we were out, thought part of the anagram could also be "alarms", and there appeared to be lots of them on buildings, so then we started really looking closely at burglar alarm boxes and then of course we spotted the answer!" The answers to this clue and all the others are in the window at Wassail Games on Catherine Hill. "So many people have popped in to tell us how much they enjoyed this year's hunt," said Helen. "People really liked the pictorial element which was illustrated by Frome artist Rachael Dahl. "It has been really encouraging that so many people have all had so much fun and Wassail Games are proud to have been to have been part of the team that raised this well deserved money for the Frome Festival, Thanks to all who supported this year's hunt." TREASURE HUNT ANSWERS 1. Kingfisher, 2. Enigma - 15 Vicarage Street, 3. A Man - on alarm box, 4. Waterloo - Road sign, 5. Five all tolled (3 and 2), 6. 22 - on house sign, 7. 1693 - year on house wall, 8. Garden Supplies - Underground sign, 9. Falling Masonry - sign in car park, 10. 1993 - sign on lamp, 11. Lodge - sign above door, 12. The Buffalo Club, 13. Piglet, 14. Garage, 15. 1555 - On telegraph post, 16. Brick - On manhole cover "Glynwed brickhouse", 17. Street lamp or White Door, 18. 5 - 1 partially closed on house plaque, 19. Sunday - opening times for Pots and Sorcerers, 20. 1810 & 1893 - on arch to Zion Church, 21. 4 - Sign above Beadz Bazaar, 22. Griffin, 23. The Postman - sign on shop door, 24. 18, 25. John Halls - Brolac sign on wall, 26. White - white on green on a grey electrics box, 27. 8 - Octagonal on war memorial, 28. Wolstenholme and Partners, solicitors, 29. Ice Cream, Continental Chocolates - sign on La Strada, 30. Cornwall - on wall of the Old Bakehouse, 31. Book Ordering Service - Hunting Raven Books, 32. R & J Signs - above Video Crypt, 33. Raves from the Grave, 34. R.C. Boyle - plaque on Lloyd's Bank, 35. Wells - 161 bus service on timetable, 36. Coffee Machines Hybrid, 37. VOID - people have been changing the position of the switch, 38. 9am - 9.30am Hill House Hammond, 39. VOID Cheap Street/St John's Church - Library people have been moving the sign fingerpost, 40. VOID - Ambiguous, 41. 19 - Vertical metal bars, 42. Frome Tourist Information Centre, 43. The Sun Inn - TIC accommodation sign, 44. 4 - on silver loo doors. General Questions (two points each) Photo Answers (two points each) Super Sixer Surprise Q |
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