Concourse: Eastercon 2004

[Programme Book]

The 55th British Easter Science Fiction Convention
9--12 April 2004, Winter Gardens, Blackpool

[Danny Flyyn]


GoHs: Mitchell Burnside Clapp, Danny Flynn, Sue Mason, Christopher Priest , Philip Pullman


Our first time back to Blackpool since 1992 . We were reacquainted with the land of towers and piers , where even the trams get SFnal . The con wasn't at the Norbreck this time, but at the truly astonishing Winter Gardens, with whose enormous rooms and unique decor even a willing suspension of disbelief struggles occasionally.


Programme highlights


[in the Ballroom]

Academie Glorianna -- Weapons display


[Sue Mason, Fran Dowd]

Sue Mason -- GoH interview


[panel]

Panel -- Alternative Histories

John Dallman, Simon Bradshaw, Harry Harrison , Edward James


[Francis Spufford]

Francis Spufford -- George Hay Memorial Lecture

The Fall and Rise of the British Boffin


[panel]

Panel -- Classic SF

Edward James, Chris Priest, John Clute, Peter Nicholls


[Mitchell Burnside Clapp] Mitchell Burnside Clapp -- GoH talk


[panel]

Panel -- Not the Clarke Awards

Francis Spufford, Caroline Mullan, Claire Brialey, Liz Sourbut, Edward James

A discussion of this year's Arthur C Clarke shortlist


Clute & Nicholls -- 10 years of the SF Encyclopedia


[Chris Priest] Chris Priest -- GoH talk


[Watching Angel Instead] various -- filk

several filk concerts over the weekend


[panel]

Panel -- Superheroes --- pen and ink, or silver screen?

Philip Pullman, Gerry Webb, Danny Flynn

Do superheroes work best on film, or should they be left on the pages of comics?


[panel]

Panel -- Holistic Hitchhiking

M. J. "Simo" Simpson, Flick, Gerry Webb

Douglas Adams , his life and works


[panel]

Panel -- Modern SF

Chris Priest, Cheryl Morgan, John Clute


[Lucy Smithers] Lucy Smithers -- How the Embryo knows its Arse from its Elbow

Developmental Biology 101


[panel]

Panel -- Retelling the Fairy Story

Farah Mendlesohn, Philip Pullman, John Clute, Peter Nicholls


Panel -- Computers in SF

Charlie Stross, Bridget Wilkinson, Andrew Adams, John Dallman


Christina Hansen -- Farscape


Masquerade

Not originally timetabled, but run by popular demand


[Pavilion Theatre]

David Wake et al -- Tartan Restrung

held in the ... brilliant ... Pavilion Theatre


[panel]

Panel -- Modern Fantasy

Ian MacLeod, Cheryl Morgan, John Clute