Thursday 19 July 2018

The Mystery Science Theatre 3000 2018 Experience: Part 2. The Mads!

Having met Mike Nelson, Crow and Tom Servo back in February the opportunity to now meet the Mads (the mad scientist in the show) become available to us via an Indigogo campaign, offering “UK fans of MST3K - join Frank & Trace at the 18th SCI-FI-LONDON festival for a live riffing show!!! Spend some time with the guys, laugh your arse off and generally curl up in an event that will be comfort-rated to 10” Amongst the various perks on the Indigogo page there was one on there that appealed to both Mrs Jones and myself  Ok, how about lunch with the guys? Limited to 15 people, Sun 6th may 2018. We meet Trace & Frank at the London Eye then take a trip down the River Thames to Greenwich. Followed by a lovely lunch. Boat trip, food and drink included. 4 Pin (badge) set and show ticket included. Very special limited edition perk” we did just that and the campaign was a success! So it was back to London on the 18th of May to SCI-FI-LONDON to meet Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff!

Dr. Forrester (full name Clayton Deborah Susan Forrester) the man, with the “vision” to send a man into space and forcing him to watch the worst 'B' movies ever made is one of my all time favourite Mad Scientist. So when we arrived at SCI-FI-LONDON which was celebrating the 200th anniversary of Frankenstein I couldn’t think of a more fitting setting to meet him and his assistant TV’s Frank! Once again we joined a line of fellow British MSTies as we made our way to the front to meet them, awkward, “errr...err... your my favourite mad scientist muah-bla blu-blah!” out of the way  we took to our seats for the show, I was delighted that they also picked an Ed Wood movie perhaps not as popular as Plan 9 from Outer Space but an important piece all the same, Wood’s personal piece from 1953 Glen or Glenda a documentary disguised as an exploitation film about a subject matter close to his heart cross-dressing and trans-sexuality. Trace and Frank took to their seats at the front and the riffing commenced, much like before it was a surreal experience hearing familiar voices but seeing them in person before you, oh and it was very funny! They followed with a Q&A afterwards with host, Bunny Galore not even prizes they gave out for each question was enough to break my shyness, no matter I thought- tomorrow we would be meeting them at the London Eye I will ask them then!

Trace Beaulieu, (TV’s) Frank Conniff and Bunny Galore

A very hot day followed and we made our way to the London Eye to meet the Mads, spirits were high (despite British Rail making us ride by bus!) as soon as heads were counted we boarded the ferry and sailed down the Thames and I had a really pleasant chat with Trace and fellow fans about the show, robots, Frankenstein movies and Sci-Fi in general before we arrived in Greenwich. Stopping briefly to admire the Cutty Sark we went into a restaurant for lunch. As we awaited our meals conversation continued along similar lines in relaxed surroundings, we had a blast. A nice meal and pleasant conversation with like minded people about comedy, Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy, Frankenstein, This Island Earth is one thing but to do so with the Mads was fantastic! We then made our way onwards to Greenwich Park for a look around, some photos and we educated Trace and Frank in the ancient British custom of the’ 99’(for those of you also in the dark about such matters a 99 is an ice cream cone with a Cadbury flake inserted in it) and that was it, it was time to go home, but we had an amazing time doing something we never thought we would get to do, and we thank Emm Ledsam for making it happen and of course Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff for coming over to visit us let’s hope it happens again very soon! Well, unless they all decide to come over again this year with Joel Hodgson, Mary Jo Pehl and Josh Weinstein I think it’s safe to say that, that was our own little MST3K 30th anniversary event! 
Thanks to all involved, until next time....


© Arfon Jones 2018. All images are copyrighted throughout the world.

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