Phil Gillam: Go ahead steampunk, make my day

If you’re a woman you may wish to check your wardrobe for bustles, corsets and petticoats.

If you’re a chap, ensure your waistcoat and bowler hat are in fine fettle.

Polish up that brass work – oh, and don’t forget your pocket telescope!

Or something like that.

What am I going on about?

Well, the 2018 Shrewsbury Steampunk Spectacular is on its way. (Yet another exciting new event on the Shrewsbury calendar).

At various locations across our splendid town (St Mary’s Church, the Library, The Buttermarket Cellars, Shrewsbury Castle), this celebration of all things steampunk will take place on the weekend of March 24-25.

“Er …….What is steampunk?” I hear you cry.

Well, it’s a sub-genre of science fiction and science fantasy, embracing technology and designs inspired by the Victorian era (and sometimes the American Wild West).

Hence, you might find heroes and villains inhabiting alternative futures (or even other worlds) while employing steam-powered machinery.

It’s often a delightful and bizarre mix of the old and new, a lucky bag packed with retro-futuristic inventions and anachronistic technologies.

Steampunk novels would include Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve and Lady of Devices by Shelley Adina and perhaps the best-selling ‘His Dark Materials’ books of Philip Pullman.

But the steam punk fraternity also looks to Jules Verne and H.G. Wells and would probably include Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein, among their favourites.

There’s also steampunk art, design and fashion.

Dig hard enough and you’ll find there’s even steampunk music!

It’s a chance to throw yourself into the romanticism of long-ago while, at the same time, enjoying what might have been – or what might actually be in a parallel universe!

Let your imagination run riot!

Let’s take a look at what’s on offer at the Shrewsbury Steampunk Spectacular.

First off, the organisers, Chantilly Grey, say: "Steampunk events are immensely popular, appealing to families, couples the young and not so young! It really does capture the imagination of all ages.

"It will be the most exciting and spectacular show, the kind of which Shrewsbury has never witnessed before – and is being eagerly anticipated amongst the Steampunk community, traders and performers alike.

"The event will focus around a Steampunk market at St Mary’s Church, but lots of exciting attractions will be available throughout the whole of the town.

"There will be historic walking tours covering the many intriguing aspects of Shrewsbury, a chance to visit Coleham Pumping Station in all its steam-filled splendour. And the statue of Charles Darwin will see visitors arrive to explore his former school and steampunk-dressed librarians will offer activities and tours of the Shrewsbury Library.

"Workshops will take place at St Mary’s Church, offering families the chance to try out and make musical instruments from scrap metal!”

Meanwhile, there will be teapot racing (yes, you heard – teapot racing) in The Castle … plus dancers, magicians and musicians providing steampunk entertainment all weekend.

On Saturday evening there will be a “fabulous line-up” providing steampunk music and entertainment at the Victorian venue that is The Buttermarket Cellars.

On both the Saturday and Sunday there will be The Most Marvellous Market (10am to 4pm) – “come and meet our amazing traders in medieval surroundings!” at St Mary’s Church.

Also at the church on both days (between 11am and 2pm) there’s a chance to see “the delightfully delicious Miss Sylvia Sceptre, entertaining with her mischievously marvellous magic”.

So … gothic, military jacket at the ready … grab those flying goggles … we’re all set for a weekend of steampunk!

Weirdness and adventure are surely just over that horizon.

(And if you just happen to look like Doc Brown out of Back To The Future you’ll fit in just fine!)

For full details on the weekend, check out shrewsburysteampunkspectacular.weebly.com or email chantillygrey@gmail.com