Writing research - What goes on at...?

[TheEarl]

Evening all. I've set a novel in the middle of a family reunion. This is a fairly upscale family, where the majority of them are rich and every single one is nepotistic. The whole thing is a showcase for politicking with each other, gathering favours, doing business and basically showing off just how more successful each of them has become since last year. They've booked a whole hotel in the Scottish Highlands to themselves.

So far, so good. However, I've realised that I actually have no real idea what goes on at these kind of things. Do people just constantly stand and talk in the ballroom? Are there any kind of organised events? They've got at least 2 days to fill and I have no idea of the activities that happen at upscale family reunions, having never been to any reunions, upscale or not.

The only idea I've got is that no-one would dance. Can anyone offer any suggestions?

The Earl

 

[3113]

I've never been to such a reunion upscale or not--but as it is upscale, I think there might well be a lot of activities which folk could participate in or not as they pleased.

Question: Where is this family from? What is their background? That makes a big difference. How many people? And how long are they going to be at the hotel? And what amendities does the hotel have? Spa? Pool? Massuse? Gym? Tennis? Golf? Business center?

Scottish Highlands? Well, why not golfing? A picnic? How close are they to the ocean? A boat trip? Yachting? A hunting party maybe? Billiards? A shopping trip for the ladies? Afternoon tea party? Cards after dinner? Maybe they got a sting quartet or pianist to play a concert? Masquarade ball? And why not have a dance?

And what about kids? Nannies and a playroom for the kids? Maybe ponies to ride?

You might want to rent and watch Gosford Park which happens in the 1930's (I believe) but gives you a glimpse of bored rich folk trapped together in the country for a weekend--each with their own ajenda.

 

[TheEarl]

Thanks for the suggestions 3113. I think I may've written myself into a bit of a corner, but hopefully I can fix it with those kind of suggestions.

They're Anglo-Italians, all of them very stauch Catholics. Most of them have grown up in a "Daddy can fix it" world, but there are a few hard-headed businessmen in the bunch as well as the wannabes. There's about 200 of them there and they're expecting to stay for a long weekend over Christmas. It's brass monkeys weather outside, so there's no outdoors activity. They're all far too pampered for that. The hotel's a bit old-fashioned, certainly not a big complex thing. This is the closest that the majority of them will come to 'roughing it'.

The Earl

 

[Guest]

Do people just constantly stand and talk in the ballroom?l

I've never even been in a ballroom .

However, with that many people, and presumably accompanied by a variety of 'partners', you have the makings for a myriad of entanglements, disputes, rows, etc. (Even incest! )

I think the idea of watching Gosford Park is a good one, or any of those Merchant-Ivory type films. Or think of Eastenders and just change the accents and class background .

Pear

 

[TheEarl]

I've never even been in a ballroom .

However, with that many people, and presumably accompanied by a variety of 'partners', you have the makings for a myriad of entanglements, disputes, rows, etc. (Even incest! )

I think the idea of watching Gosford Park is a good one, or any of those Merchant-Ivory type films. Or think of Eastenders and just change the accents and class background .

Pear

Oh, I have all of the various character entanglements all sorted out. Trust me, it gets messy.

What I don't have is activities for them to be doing whilst they're being entertaining.

The Earl

 

[Guest]

What I don't have is activities for them to be doing whilst they're being entertaining.

Crumpet eating contest?
Best-dressed transvestite (the 'executive' type)?
Twat of the family?
Grumpiest gran?

Pear

 

[TheEarl]

Crumpet eating contest?
Best-dressed transvestite (the 'executive' type)?
Twat of the family?
Grumpiest gran?

Pear

Thanks Pear .

The Earl

 

[oggbashan]

Yes. They dance.

Those who can dance well are criticised for spending their time on such frivolous accomplishments.

Those who dance badly are criticised for not learning the attributes of a lady/gentlemen.

Those who dance very well are criticised for spending too much time with their dance instructor having horizontal tuition.

Who dances with whom, even if through duty, is a source of comment about relationships that are doomed, failing, starting although the partner doesn't know etc.

(Would she dance with her husband if she knew that he was having an affair with...?)

(How dare he dance with his mistress under his wife's nose...?)

And so on.

Then card games e.g. Whist; Poker. Are the calls and bluffs actually about the card game or really a coded communication? What does 'Two No Trumps' mean?

Shooting/Fishing/Golf. He's teaching her... Why? She's better at it than he is...

Is that enough to start with?

Og

 

[TheEarl]

When I said no dancing, I mean disco style stuff as I knew they'd think that was beneath them. A formal dance however, hmmm. That has possibilities. Thanks guys. Any more suggestions gratefully accepted, as I need as many ideas as I can carry home in a big sack.

The Earl

 

[TxRad]

call an upscaled scottish hotel and tell them you're planning a large family reunion. Ask what activities are available.... other than long distance charges... what's there to lose.....

 

[Huckleman2000]

Well, there's competitive shopping and antiquing to separate the riche from the nouveau
Drinking and smoking is highly competitive in some circles - wines, single-malt scotches, Cubans...
Weather be damned! Some workout wonk is always trying to bait another into sticking to their workout schedule, with all the implied pussification.

Does the hotel have a spa? A hair salon? The mind reels....

On cruise ships, sometimes they'll have 'art auctions', where you can buy limited-edition prints. They'll sell them at the starting price, if you just wait until the last day - after all, they aren't all sold out!

Sometimes, like for an impending marriage, they'll have a 'roast'. The bride and groom's families are instructed to come up with funny stories about them, and they take turns telling (drunken) stories about one or the other. Usually, the rich family's 'roasters' tell only glowing stories - everyone wants to kiss the rich folks' asses. But the wannabe's 'roasters' take the thing seriously, and tell all sorts of embarrassing tales about the poor bride or groom. Everyone laughs and applauds at the appropriate times, and no one acknowledges the overt class warfare out of politeness. Devastating to witness.

Of course, at the culminating ball, competitive toasting to go with competitive drinking and competitive debauchery!

It all ends, in an homage to the Three Stooges, with a pie-fight.

 

[Boxlicker101]

They would certainly have a formal dinner, probably followed by dancing. If the hotel has a spa, which would seem to be almost certain, quite a bit of time would be spent there but it would not be any kind of organized event. A good chance for liazons, though. If there is some sort of family business, they might hold a meeting about that.

 

[oggbashan]

In Scotland, crap Scottish dancing is obligatory.

Haldir might be able to advise.

A badly performed eightsome reel is destructive to furniture, clothing and egos. I was taught Scottish dancing while crossing the Australian Bight in a Force 8 gusting 9 gale. Interesting, especially the sword dance.

Og