Programme

Programme Information

The programme for Odyssey 2010 is about to go to print for inclusion in the con packs, and nothing significant should change between now (14th March) and the con itself. If you want to plan your weekend in advance, you can download it now as a PDF file (255k).

We're also delighted to be able to make the programme available in iCalendar format for use with calendar programs like Apple's iCal, Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook. You can get the iCalendar file here. We would love to hear if you find this useful or have any suggested improvements.

And, if you want to start working out where all your favourite items will be, we've also posted maps of the hotel.

It's going to be a wide-ranging programme, covering all aspects of science fiction. There will be five programme tracks running most of the time, including Friday afternoon and up to mid-afternoon Monday. Light programming will take place on Friday morning and Monday evening. This will be a full four-day convention. That means there will always be plenty to choose from taken from the worlds of books, comics, TV, film and life in general. We hope you enjoy it!

We'd like to thank the team at Science Fact & Science Fiction Concatenation for many helpful ideas and suggestions.

BSFA lecture

BSFA Lecture: 2001 and the Narratology of Transcendence
Guest Speaker Nick Lowe

Why does film, the most vivid and visceral of narrative media, struggle to capture the deepest, most powerful SF experiences? The bizarre untold story of the script of 2001, and the strange trajectory of screenwriting theory since, suggest why SF film remains trapped on this side of the narratological stargate...

Science programme

We are pleased to announce Odyssey's science programming stream. We've put together a large and varied set of items, and we hope you'll enjoy them. Minor details may still change, but (unless any of the speakers has to pull out), we expect all of the items to take place over the weekend. Final details will be confirmed in the full programme and readme at the convention. In the meantime, take a look at what's planned!

Writing workshop

The T-Party Writers Group is again running a workshop for writers of SF/F/H at Eastercon. Writers will be selected on a first come, first served basis. Writers are invited to send the first 5,000 words of a novel or a short story of up to 5,000 words to the co-ordinator Martin Owton (Martin.Owton@virgin.net) as a rich text file (.rtf). Please be aware that your work will be shared with other members of the group for critique purposes and that your work with be subject to analysis and suggestions for improvement. It would be helpful to the organisers if writers could indicate their level of experience. The T-Party is a group of writers focusing on preparing their work for professional publication. The critiquers will include published novelists, agented writers and award winning editors.

There are some seriously good people involved in this workshop (including one of our guests of honour). They'll be going through your work before the convention and spending up to four hours during the convention working with writers in small groups.

The workshop is now full - thank you to everyone for your submissions, and we're looking forward to the workshop!

Writing competition - Tales From the White Hart

On Saturday evening, Odyssey will host 'Tales From the White Hart' (inspired by Clarke's well-known anthology which takes place at a regular fannish pub gathering), to give people a chance to tell their tall stories of scientific endeavour.

The aim is for relaxed story-telling, for stories where science is a key element (preferably with the point-of-view character being a professional scientist, an SF writer or a fan), and for a entertaining story with an element of humour.

For instance, a story about a giant squid in the castle moat might end:

"But although the creature had clearly made its way through the culvert into the moat, my sole photo of the creature is one that I will never be able to show you out of respect for my hostess.

As I'm sure you all know, deep sea creatures are only able to perceive the colour red - as red light penetrates best to the ocean depths. When the poor creature emerged into the bright light of day, what did it see but Lady Bloomindale's scarlet nightdress. Even as the tentacle snatched at what it clearly perceived to be a tasty snack, her hands failed to move fast enough to protect her modesty. And thus, at her Ladyship's insistence, the only proof of my story must remain forever hidden."

We will have a small panel of judges - whose task is not to criticise, but to invite the writer of any stories that they particularly enjoy to allow it to be published in 'Fountains of Paradise', an upcoming anthology of stories to be published in celebration of the life of Arthur C Clarke.

If you'd like your story to be considered for the anthology, make sure you bring along a neatly typed copy for the judges to take away afterwards, and don't forget to include your name and contact details!

We also welcome stories that are being told just for fun as well as those who hope to be published. You don't have to be a professional writer, just able to tell a story to an audience, where the fan or scientist is the hero.

The story can be as short as you like, but the maximum length is around 3000 words or fifteen minutes when read aloud.

You don't have to register in advance, but if you expect to have a story ready, let Judith Proctor know, and your name can appear along with the item in the programme.

Poetry reading

On Sunday evening we'll be holding a poetry reading, hosted by Chris Morgan, who was Birmingham's Poet Laureate for 2008-9. He welcomes you to bring your own poems to read, or to come along and listen to the performance.

Poems can be on any theme, but preferably no more than a page in length.

Book launches

  • NewCon Press and Constable and Robinsons Book Launch (Friday 6pm)

    Four new titles are being launched, and the event will include free drinks, plus discounts on books. Many of the contributing authors will be present to sign and dedicate.

    From NewCon Press:
    Conflicts, edited Ian Whates, with stories by Neal Asher, Chris Beckett, Keith Brooke, Eric Brown, Michael Cobley, Una McCormack, Andy Remic, Martin Sketchley, and more.
    Faraway Frankie, by Keith Brooke, with an introduction by Adam Roberts
    Orgasmachine, by Ian Watson. First English-language publication.
    From Constable and Robinson:
    The Mammoth Book of Alternate Histories edited by Ian Watson and Ian Whates.

  • Solaris Book Launch Party (Saturday 6pm)

    Shine: An Anthology of Optimistic SF
    Editor Jetse de Vries and the following SHINE authors will be there: Alastair Reynolds, Gareth Lyn Powell, Aliette de Bodard, Eva Maria Chapman

Charity book stall

The Charity Bookstall will be in the foyer of the Dealer's Room selling second-hand books for charity.

Please bring along and donate any Fantasy and Science Fiction books (and any other fiction or non-fiction) that you no longer want, but other fans might enjoy.

Pyrotechnics demonstration - And the Walls Came Tumbling Down

Explosives and Pyrotechnics are used in many feature films and more so in science fiction productions.

Stephen Miller has been working with explosives for over 26 years, initially fireworks and pyrotechnic, then as a bomb disposal engineer, MoD research scientist, special effects co-ordinator and now as a freelance explosives consultant.

Steve's presentation will centre around an explosives special effects sequence conducted for a feature film called 'The Fall', where an Indian temple needed to be demolished. Steve designed and executed the explosive sequence required to achieve the effect desired by the director. The presentation will include behind the scenes photos and videos and a full explanation of the various techniques and materials employed to create the effect.

Some of these techniques and materials will be demonstrated live during the presentation (not for the faint hearted or sensitive) along with other stage and film pyrotechnics effects.

Battlestar Atlantia Live Role Playing Game

The ‘Battlestar Atlantia’ Live Role Playing Game is your chance to experience the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica universe as a survivor of the Second Cylon War.

The game is set upon another battlestar, the Atlantia, which also managed to escape the holocaust but which is completely cut off from, and does not know of the existence of, the Galactica. In the aftermath of the attack the senior officer, Admiral Nagala, who has been grievously injured, imposes Martial Law on the fleet, but as the immediacy of the attack passes and no Cylon ships appear to hunt down the remaining humans, the civilian population becomes dissatisfied with the situation and unrest begins to stir.

Find out more about the game and how to take part...

Dancing at Odyssey

Pack your dancing shoes! We're planning something for every taste, both to help you wake up in the morning and to let your hair down in the evenings.

Sunday morning will have a belly dance session, directly after the Tai Chi session.

On Saturday morning, just for a change, Jim and Carrie will be teaching us how to dance the Lindy Hop.

On Monday and Friday, you'll have the chance to learn an old Lancashire Morris dance. North West morris is a very different tradition from the Cotswold morris dances that most people are familiar with.

Friday evening is the ceilidh, dancing to Pigeon English and with interval music by Playing Rapunzel. (We'll be having a ceilidh workshop earlier in the day for anyone who is lacking in confidence, but all dances will be called, so you'll get along fine if you don't know them.) Many of our men look fabulous in kilts, so I hope some of you will take the opportunity to dress to the hilt!

Saturday night is the disco with our DJ Marwan. Our theme is New Romantics - dig out that make-up and retro clothing and go for broke.

On Sunday, we offer a Steampunk Ball for your delight. Dress Victorian/Goth and have a ball!

The Steampunk Ball will also feature a costume prize. John Naylor is donating a weekend membership to Asylum 2010 as the prize for the best costume at the Steampunk Ball.

Society for Creative Anachronism

Re-creating the skills and crafts of peace and war in the Middle Ages, the SCA owes its roots to the science fiction and fantasy world. Founded in the 1960s by Diana Paxson and friends, it has such legendary members as Marian Zimmer Bradley, Poul Anderson, Katherine Kurtz, Randall Garrett, Robert Asprin, SM Stirling, and Rick Cook.

Insulae Draconis is a group, covering the Britain, Ireland and Iceland. It is an historical recreation group interested in the activities, artefacts, and arts of Mediaeval Europe prior to the 17th century. We are a part of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), an international society with branches in the UK and Ireland, many European countries, South Africa, Japan, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand, and across North America.

The SCA encourages its members to explore the parts of history and the activities that interest them most. We study dance, calligraphy, martial arts, cooking, metalwork, costuming, embroidery and literature; if it happened in the Middle Ages, someone in the SCA is learning and trying it out now. We are more than just a costume society, with plenty of events ranging from workshops and revels, visits to museums, to weekends living in castles, to entire fortnight camps involving tens of thousands.

The difference between the SCA and a history class is the opportunity and encouragement to not just study the theory, but to try the practical skills yourself at whatever level of commitment and interest. Look out for our dealers stall on Sunday, along with our medieval combat demonstration and calligraphy workshop.

Quiet Room

At Odyssey 2010 we will be providing a Quiet Room, inspired by the Diogenes Club from Sherlock Holmes. Available for fans who want a break from the noise and activity of the convention, it will be a place to chill out, read a book or newspaper, relax, and avoid conversation for a time, while still remaining in the company of other fans.

Holmes described the Diogenes Club thus: "There are many men in London, you know, who, some from shyness, some from misanthropy, have no wish for the company of their fellows. Yet they are not averse to comfortable chairs and the latest periodicals. It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started, and it now contains the most unsociable and unclubable men in town. No member is permitted to take the least notice of any other one. Save in the Stranger’s Room, no talking is, under any circumstances, allowed, and three offences, if brought to the notice of the committee, render the talker liable to expulsion. My brother was one of the founders, and I have myself found it a very soothing atmosphere."

We ask our members to respect the rule of silence in the Quiet Room and remember that people have come to this room to avoid conversation and to recharge their batteries.