Steampunk fun comes to Thames
Book shop owner embraces the steampunk genre
Time didn’t stand still in Thames last weekend — it went haywire. Steampunk The Thames brought to the streets the retrofuturistic imaginings of a growing group of people who just plain love to dress up.
“Thames has a really good thing here from an economic point of view,” said Vice Commodore Lord Auckland Esquire, while in Thames to Paint The Town Red at the festival of the same name.
The Vice Commodore is the alter ego of Kapil Arn, an Aucklander who was among the hundreds dressed to impress in Victorian theme-turned apocalpytic.
“I think every town should grab an idea and steampunk is a good one. Why not make Thames the Steampunk Capital of the North Island?”
Oamaru is the capital of Steampunk in New Zealand, promoting the movement as a quirky and fun genre of science fiction that features steam-powered technology.
It is often set in an alternate, futuristic version of 19th century Victorian England steam powered devices — the ‘world gone mad’ as Victorian people may have imagined it. Thames — a setting with a backdrop of 19th century built heritage — has also embraced the genre, none more so than Karen Woodhall.
Karen started Steamy Sisters shop in Cochrane St because she wanted to provide a permanent representation of steampunk in town.
The shop was having its busiest day of the year on Friday, as visitors bustled for bustles and ogled the goggles.
Robyn Brettell from Cambridge was building her wardrobe — a clothing collection that includes two $10 beach umbrellas that are part of her ‘wings’ worn to the steampunk parade on Saturday.
Karen Woodhall says the steampunk theme is a great way to reuse and repurpose in the name of fun. As a trust member of the Seagull Centre recycle charity in town, she loves seeing the creativity arise.
“It’s a great combination because a lot of materials are sourced from the Seagull Centre.”
Next year the organisers hope to work with volunteers from the Paeroa Christmas Lights event, adding this to the teapot racing, steampunk character building session, burlesque and high tea that are among the four day festival highlights.
It’s fair to say Gareth Ward has done enough in life to fuel a vivid imagination. Gareth has been a commando, a hypnotist and a magician. A book shop owner from Hawke’s Bay, he’s now a steampunk author.
Gareth was at The Treasury in Thames on Friday delivering a workshop to about a dozen people on how to build your steampunk character.
His first novel, The Traitor and the Thief, won the 2016 Storylines Tessa Duder Award, the 2018 Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Youth Novel, a 2018 Storylines Notable Book Award and was a finalist in two categories at The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
He says he discovered by accident that steampunk was a great genre to work in.
“I quite liked the feel and ambience of steampunk but my story was Victorian, and I wanted to add weird and wonderful stuff into it, and by default it became steampunk.
“I found it was a great genre to write in because you’ve got the rich backdrop of Victorian times and you can just make something up and let your imagination go.”
He thinks of steampunk as a Victorian setting but with more advanced technology than they would have had.
“You can make up professions and make up brain bots and whatever you want.”
Born in the town of Banbury in the UK, he attended the University of York where he gained a joint honours degree in biology and computer science and says: If you want your cat reprogrammed, he’s your man.
Having had such a varied life experience, he says it creates a lot of interest as a writer.
“I was in the British Royal Marine commandos for a short and glorious career then went to the police.”
But he says you don’t have to have had an interesting life to build a steampunk character or love steampunk. “You get people from all walks of life. You get people who are really crafty and people who spend weeks creating these fantastic costumes. I just wear what’s in my wardrobe, as I’d rather spend a month writing than a month creating a costume.”
He says some might feel “a bit of a berk” in costume but because he’s been a magician — and because it’s a festival — steampunk is a chance to be a bit different and have fun in a supportive community.
■ Gareth Wards’ books are available at Carsons Bookshop in Thames.