As any big fan of the Whedonverse will know, whether you’re a Browncoat, Doll, or avid Scooby Gang enthusiast: Joss and the team are like demi-gods in the storytelling industry. So what better way to celebrate his work than with an entire track dedicated to the man himself? Although this is only the Whedon Track's first year at Nine Worlds, they're expecting it to be one to remember! We've got more sessions than you can shake a stake at, from panels and discussions, to singalongs and ... well, we don’t want to give away all our surprises! We like to think of people as either loving the Whedonverse, or just not having experienced it yet. So whichever group you belong to, we hope you’ll join us over the weekend for lots of Nine Worlds fun, burdened with glorious purpose!
Friday
The Symbolism and Metaphor of Buffy - with Shane Davis
10am - 11.15am, Royal C&D
Exploring the subtle and less than subtle symbols Buffy uses to comment on real life. This talk breaks down the hidden messages in each season and throughout the show to perhaps explain why Buffy resonates so well with its fans. Please come and share what you, personally, have taken from Buffy in the end discussion.
Avengers Jossemble! Burdened With Glorious Squee - with Tlanti
1.30pm - 2.45pm, Royal C&D
It’s likely that many Nine Worlds attendees have seen the movie – but what about the fan elements? With the movie and characters inspiring cosplays, fan fiction, fan art and interest in the characters, let’s celebrate the geekery and fandom this colourful, action packed movie has inspired!
Whedon Vs Tropes – a look at genre rules and genre disruption through cult classic "The Cabin In The Woods" - with the Film Festival
3.15pm - 4.30pm, Room 41
Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard's The Cabin in the Woods emerged from development hell and right into cult movie status. In this talk, critic and columnist Ed Boff has a look at the film's place in the creators' canons, why it works so well as a horror deconstruction, and how it reflects the state of the genre.
The Joss Whedon Quiz
5.00pm - 6.15pm, Royal C&D
A quiz on all things Whedon. Assemble your own team of six, or come along to be placed with fellow fans!
Saturday
Theatre LARP Writing Workshop, Part One: Structure & Ideas Generation - with the LARP track
Saturday, 11.45am, Room 40
Ever been curious about writing your own LARP?
The participants will write a basic LARP set in the Whedonverse. We'll talk you through the process, and show you a few tools and techniques. At the end of the session, we should have notes on characters, complete with goals, relationships, and plots, as well as a fair idea of where the game is set and how it should progress. Time to dust out all those fanfic ideas and see if you can shove them together! No previous experience required. Attendees can join in either or both of Part One or Part Two.
"Shut That Crazy Mouth": Exploring the Concept of Mental Health and Madness in the Whedonverse - with Alice Nicholls
3.15pm - 4.30pm, Royal C&D
Joss Whedon is well-known for writing diverse and unusual characters with a whole host of personal insanities and torments, from Buffy's deathwish and River Tam's schizophrenia to Echo's multipile identity crises. But how accurate are his depictions of mental illness, and have they done anything to reduce the media's stigma of it? Join us as we delve into the minds of some of our favourite Whedonverse characters to explore the madness within.
LGB(T) Representation in the Whedonverse: From Willow Rosenberg to Victoria Hand - with Dr. Jenny Alexander
5.00pm - 6.15pm, Royal C&D
When Willow and Tara progressed from "doing spells" to being "lesbian, gay-type lovers" (5x12 "Checkpoint") in Buffy, their relationship was ground-breaking for genre television. Buffy's impact can be seen in shows which came after, like James Cameron's Dark Angel (Fox, 2000 - 2002) and Julian Jones and Lucy Watkins' Hex (Sky One, 2004-5) where a LBF (lesbian best friend) became almost de rigeur. But, ironically, as genre TV has become more open to LGB(T) representation, from True Blood to Penny Dreadful, Whedon, apparently, has been moving in the other direction. Join us for a discussion about all things LGB(T) in the Whedonverse.
Whedonverse Sing-Along
6.00pm, Commonwealth East
Fancy yourself the next Lorne of Caritas? Then come on over for our Whedonverse Sing-Along tonight. Join us for a night of ‘Once More With Feeling’ and ‘Dr.Horrible’s Sing Along Blog’ fun, and possibly a few other surprises! Our favourite pianist David Merriman to accompany.
Sunday
Theatre LARP Writing Workshop, Part Two: Playtest & Discussion - with the LARP track
Sunday, 11.45am, Room 40
This is where people get to grab the collated version of the game we wrote in Part One, and have a go at playing it! After half an hour, we'll stop and discuss how it went, what worked and what didn't work, how the game might be edited, and how to achieve different variations, themes and styles. Watching people take something you wrote and make it real is a fantastic experience, and we really do recommend it. No previous experience required. Attendees can join in either or both of Part One or Part Two.
Sex Work and Whedon - with Fran Haswell and the Geek Feminism track (16+)
3.15pm - 4.30pm, Connaught A
Using a sex-positive framework which centers on choice and consent, we will take an in depth look at “Whedon’s sex workers”. Using their characters and stories to explore the fundamental difference between sex work and human trafficking, we will also discuss female agency, sexuality and bodily autonomy. These are all important concepts that have real world implications; having a safe, welcoming and accessible discussion about the ways these issues are represented and why this representation matters, to women and to all genders, is vital. By doing this we aim to fully explore what, if anything, Whedon is trying to tell us through the lens of our two much loved shows.