Bad Grills

What an utter fiasco the Bad Girls convention is.

I arrived a bit late today (noon-ish) and panicked because I thoughtI might have missed alot but I needn't have worried. The con is on in that old Manopticon* location of the hotel Piccadilly in Manchester but where we had upwards of 500 people the BG lot have probably got about 50. And that's pushing it. And we're in that same huge hall. Oh dear. Hardly anyone was around when I got there. A dozen or so people were queueing to buy photos from the table next to registration but that was about it. Nothing was happening in the main hall - not even episodes were being shown. The info boards gave details of which guests were available for pics but there was no info about interview panels except to say that Helen 'Bodybag' Fraser had been on at 10.30. Even the registration pack I'd been given was dire. I'd already been sent some bumf in the post but all I got in the pack today was the same bumf but with added pass and some mystery tokens.No explanation of what exactly those tokens were for of course. I presumed they were for autographs but they may well have been for having my pic taken with the stars. Who knows. There was a small convention booklet but that was kept seperate on the table (?) and it was ridden with so many spelling/grammar/punctuation mistakes it was laughable.

I kept wandering around aimlessly, went out for lunch, came back & sat in the bar etc for the next two hours but still nothing was happening. I eventually went out, bought a paper and sat back in the bar again but this time got talking to a couple who were also at the con. We were all having a good old bitch about the poor organisation. Apparently the previous night's events were awful too. Bugger all opening ceremony and then nothing for four hours until everyone decamped to Spirit Bar in the gay village for a piss up with the stars. Except that the bit that was cordoned off for the con party was the size of a shoe box and the guests didn't turn up until 11pm apparently.

I finally managed to find a panel that was happening but arrived about half way through. It was ok but the guests didn't seem to be mic'ed up and there was no roving mic for the fans to ask questions. It still managed to go ok though apart from two rather odd fans who managed to have a fall out mid panel and who were told to leave and sort it out (in the nicest possible way) by the guests on stage. Liz May Brice (Pat Kerrigan) wandered on after a while shortly to be followed by Antonia wotsit (Darlene Cake) and the rest of the guests left the stage, almost to complete silence if I hadn't started clapping. Myself and a few other fans managed to keep the panel going, asking questions when it went a bit quiet. Antonia was quite subdued though and eventually it ground to a halt. Well at least we'd managed to keep it going for an hour.

I've come home again now to chill out and have some tea. There's another party with the guests later tonight which I'm going to go to. I'm determined to get my money's worth. No doubt it'll be more of the same tomorrow.

Manopticon it ain't.

* Dr Who conventions in the 1990's run by me & my chums. And very good they were too.