BY THE GODS II
XENA AND HERCULES NIGHT
PAGES BAR, 29TH NOVEMBER 1998
PHOTOGRAPH AND REVIEW

Photograph courtesy of Dean Le Gassicke

Come and meet the  Spice Amazons.
L-R: Pyscho Spice, Warrior Spice, Evil Spice and Cute Spice.
(After this the Spice Amazons made a special appearance in
Manchester with Baby Dax from Deep Space Nine.)
Advertising campaign for By The Gods 2

Page's Bar, London is perhaps best known for it's Star Trek nights. These events are held weekly, on Saturday evenings, when Trekkers gather together at that location.

Now however, it is becoming known in fan circles for another gathering. Yes, The Xenites and the Herculeans are in town!

Whilst not held weekly, the 'By The Gods' events are increasing in momentum and popularity. Organised and staged by DeanoMyk Productions, to date, there have been two gatherings of Xenites at Page's Bar. The first was held on Sunday 11 October 1998 when over 100 fans of the shows Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules The Legendary Journey's crowded in to the Bar, located in Page Street, near Victoria, West Central London. The second event was
held on Sunday 29 November and was equally successful.

Behind DeanoMyk Productions are Dean Le Glassicke and Michaela Upton, themselves fans of the two shows. The first event was somewhat speculative, the two not knowing quite what support they would get, although the fact
that the tickets went 'like hot cakes' probably gave them a good indication!

It was not known how many fans would turn up, but, being held shortly after the UK's first Hercules/Xena Symposium in September 1998, it seemed that it was unlikely to fail. Dean and 'Myk' carried out pre-event publicity with other fan groups dedicated to the show including attending the Symposium and posting messages on The XenaNet, the UK-based internet fan group. Tickets were sold in advance; with the bar opening it's doors at 5.30 pm concluding
at about 10:30. This particular evening set the standard for the second one which followed shortly afterwards It seems that all future 'By The Gods' events will also be held on such similar and successful lines.

Generally, 2-3 episodes each of Hercules and Xena are shown at the events, in between which are scattered homegrown music videos edited and dubbed by the talented two-some. A raffle is also held where attendees can win
anything from sets of Xena trading cards to posters, action figures, photographs and prints of original Xena/Hercules artwork.

There is usually at least one trader on the premises as well for fans who can't easily get the latest merchandise locally to where they live or by mail order.

And then there are the imitators…

Like 'Trek' and other fandom, there are those who express their support for the two shows by imitating the characters themselves. So far, the first two 'By The Gods' events have played host to Gabrielles - Michaela Upton and Cathy Holroyd; Hope (Gabrielle's evil daughter) - again brought to 'us' by Michaela; Xenas by Karen Parr and Catherine Cook; Callisto by Kristen Jones, as well as a Hercules, an Iolaus and a Joxer.

Rumour has it that a 'Janice Covington', an 'Amazon Queen' Gabrielle as well as a Bacchae Xena might be putting in an also appearance before too long!

So, what does all this mean for the UK? Well primarily, it means that Xena and Hercules fandom is gathering pace rapidly in the Country. The ranks of fans are swelling. Undoubtedly, this has been hastened by both shows being
aired by Channel 5 on Saturday evenings. It has 'spread the word' to those potential fans who can only receive terrestrial television, building on the numbers of those who have followed the adventures of Xena and Hercules and
their 'sidekicks' Gabrielle and Iolaus since Day One when the shows were first aired in the UK during 1996.

One wonders what the actors, and the Executive Producers at Pacific Renaissance Pictures think when they see the new fan culture that their shows have spawned. Could they have truly expected the two shows to have been such a success? Not only have the staff and script writers driven a 'chariot and horses' thorough the myths and legends of Ancient Greece they have done the same through the TV ratings as well.

Lucy Lawless, the New Zealand actress who plays the 'lead' in the show 'Xena' in a famous interview once described the fans of 'her' show 'Hardcore Nutball Xenites'.

If the By The Gods events are anything to go by then all at PRP should be proud of what they have achieved.

Maybe we'll see you there soon!

Review by Ian Rentoul 'GaBet' Co-chieftain of the XenaNet