Continuum 1994 Reviews

By Phillip J Gray

Continuum was rather like Cybercon in events and programming, but unlike Cybercon in that it had a guest. Therefore much of the con tended to revolve around the guest, which was all right if you established a good rapport with Gary Russell, who was charming despite illness. Unfortunately I think there were a lot of people who drifted around over the weekend who were pretty much ignored, which I think was a pity. Despite being advertised as a Red Dwarf con as well as a Doctor Who con, I didn't see much Red Dwarf programming - perhaps I wasn't looking in the right places? Nevertheless I did enjoy the chance to see people I only get to see about once a year and to meet some new fans. It was very nice to finally meet Paul, Felicity, Graham Howard, David Lawrence and David Ronayne. I was the only South Island fan at the con!

By Rochelle Thickpenny

As an out-of-town attendee, I might have been a little disappointed with this con if I had been there for a purely concentrated intake of SF fandom. Sometimes it is not the events that make a con work, but the participation and undoubtedly the people.

Although a little sluggish to start with on Saturday, the con seemed to gather momentum, so that by Sunday evening I felt that we had accomplished everything a con should do, and wished it wouldn't end!

Gary Russell was obviously an added bonus, delighting everybody with insights into his new novel, and behind-the-scenes information on Doctor Who Magazine. Much to the thrill of anyone who will admit to being alive during the Seventies, he also openly embraced his sordid past, yes - The Famous Five - hurrah Dick!

Event highlights for myself and others I talked with tended to be the writers and artists workshops, both being interactive and very informative. Memories of social sports such as the 'Battle to the Death' will keep us amused for a long time to come. Popular events magnetised the usual crowds, such as Brainburst and Pictionary - the usual itinerary expected at a con.

A slight departure from the norm was the absence of an auction, but no-one really seemed to notice. The video selections were good, although a little tact was needed for the last-minute change of the rather lurid Doctor Who lyric videos - especially when it was on at a time when parents were collecting the younger members of the audience. Hey, hands up who sang along with The Famous Five theme tune...

Although not huge in scale, the con achieved a good attendance. I hope every-one enjoyed themselves as much as I did. Thanks, everyone who organised the weekend - give yourselves a pat on the back!

By Paul Scoones

Continuum was a small-scale convention with a heavy emphasis on games and quizzes, scheduled around a few serious-minded items such as the highly successful writers' workshop. Most events would not have seemed out of place at a large-scale national science fiction convention. To my mind there were perhaps too many games, but the level of participation and enthusiasm at those I saw suggests that this opinion would not be shared by many of Continuum's attendees.

For a convention which advertised itself as a general science fiction event, the predominant focus of most items seemed to be Doctor Who, though perhaps this was a reflection of the attendees, most of which appeared to be NZDWFC members.

Gary Russell's presence at the convention undeniably gave proceedings an added interest and variety. On a personal level it was a great pleasure to interview Gary for his talks on his work as editor of Doctor Who Magazine and his books - Legacy and the forthcoming Invasion of the Cat-People. Those who were fortunate enough to hear Gary speak will know that he gave out quite a bit of advance information on the latter, as yet uncompleted, book.

For me, Continuum was first and fore-most a social occasion; an opportunity to renew old acquaintances and put faces to the names of TSV readers and contributors. For me it was the icing on the cake of an absolutely superb week-long holiday in Wellington. Same time next year...?