Switches Gathering 2 Sunday Part 1

At the opening ceremony, we were joined by Arlen and Olivia, who had not been with us on Saturday. We started by watching a video created especially for the occasion.

Lyne, said, after seeing the video, that she had ended the day crying. She just teared up, what an incredible bunch of people. Yesterday was absolutely beyond.

Amalia thanked everyone for a wonderful day yesterday. [I can’t read my notes]. ‘Just don’t give me a microphone in the morning’.

Arlen was happy to be here, nervous, but pumped.

Olivia said that she recognised some faces from social media.

Taylor welcomed Olivia and Arlen. They all missed Jess, but she appreciated all the messages from yesterday. Taylor thanked everyone for a wonderful day yesterday and for the wonderful video. It made her feel nostalgic. She really missed the show.

Ashley said she was ‘Missing Cat. Missing my mom’.

Then the place went wild as Cat arrived at the back of the hall!!!!!! Clapping and cheering as she made her way to the front and on to the stage.

Cat ‘Thanks for having me back’.

The organisers explained that Cat doesn’t go back till Tuesday, so they asked her ‘why don’t you some back?’ and she jumped at the chance.

At the time we had no idea anything was happening. However, looking at the photos afterwards, did suggest that the cast knew and were incapable of keeping a secret.

Then we got to questions. These are my recollections; others may recollect differently.

Question Like the Bellweather Unit. If you created your own unit from people in other shows which 2 other women would you choose.

Amalia. Professor McGonagall and the original Sabrina from Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Ashley. Tia and Tamara.

Taylor. Hermione Grainger and Nicole Kidman from Practical Magic.

Lyne. Sandra Bullock.

Arlen felt she had been sheltered from things like this as a child. So she would go for someone from Hocus Pocus and Samantha from Bewitched.

Olivia said she was not allowed to watch witches because her mother was a devout catholic. But she has been bringing her around. So she chose Hermione Grainger and Yennefer from The Witcher. She also mentioned Barry’s ancestor from The Vampire Diaries.

Cat chose to have Hilda and Zelda (from Sabrina the Teenage Witch) in her presidential cabinet. She thought they brought humour and style.

Lyne added Angelica Huston.

Question. In light of the #MeToo movement, what changes did you notice and what more should be done?

Lyne. Diversity is here. There has been huge change. She felt that at 25 she didn’t have a voice. She was told to go back to Belgium. In comparison to today ‘I feel I have a voice and can set boundaries and can set an example to younger generations’. Set your boundaries. Put your foot down. It starts with you.

Cat. Adding to what Lyne says. With a perspective of time. MeToo came out based on scarcity and power imbalance. But space has been created. The proof is stories by women for women and a change of lens. These steps create abundance. By [fans / audience] showing up for stories, makes it safer for us. It creates a safer space.

Olivia. Believing in mentorship. Being younger, there are conversations. But it is frustrating to realise that we are empowered by women who have been fighting and speaking out, but we do need men to speak out alongside us. One day she was upset on set [by /at] a male friend who was like a brother. A man like him will create more men like him. We women should not be carrying the whole load.

Question. What is your favourite movie?

Arlen. [She gave a French titled film that I didn’t recognise. It sounded like La Maiqure Duvent. She said it was 6 hours long].

Olivia. Bambi.

Lyne. Batteries not included

Taylor. Pride and Prejudice. The Twilight series.

Ashley. Crazy, Stupid, Love. Taylor objected to this. Ashley told her that ‘It’s my choice and my favourite movie’.

Amalia. Objected to being only allowed one favourite movie. Taylor suggested Lion King to her. But Amalia wasn’t having any of it.

Because we now had an extra guest for the day, the schedule got rearranged. So, now the next panel was a second panel with The Generals. I was very pleased.

Lyne started the panel by saying that ‘I would feel lonely if I didn’t have this one [indicating Cat] next to me.

Question. If your season 3 character could have a talk with your season 1 character, what would they say?

Cat. ‘Girl, do you think I don’t know what you are doing?’

Lyne [clarifying], season 3 to season 1 of your own character? When we meet Alder in season 1, she is the all knowing General, she was always prepared and was telling herself that she knows all. In season 3, out of the Mycelium, she is a servant of the Mother. She is a different person. A servant, but she holds all the knowledge of the Mycelium, so she guides the youngsters. There is always more to learn. You remain a student. Never stop learning. Acknowledge those around you. Continue to be a student, as a teacher of Life.

Cat. There is a lot to reflect on. Most valuable for Petra, was to focus on being the mother that Abigail needed, not the mother that Petra had. You can’t jump to the end. She needed to be more present, and get the grace to deal with her own mother. She needed to listen more to Abigail. So, ‘be present for your own daughter, release yourself from your own mother’.

Question. The Imperatrix. What more can you tell us about the character?

She held all the bloodlines of the witches. Alder was never able to have her own biological daughters. This created friction between them. Alder was confronted by her own inadequacy in that respect. She wished that the Imperatrix could have had a bit more time and value.

Cat. I just realised that, and I may be corrected here, that there were only two women with sisters – Alder and Petra. That creates friction because that generation didn’t have more children. The implication of that would be a sense of urgency as the number of witches is reducing. It is a generational thing. [Someone in the audience pointed out that Tally’s mother also had sisters.] Cat felt, that supports the point, because she is the same generation, but only had one child.

Question. What past tv show would you have liked to be a part of?

Cat. Gilmore Girls. She has 2 step daughters. She and the younger one bonded over watching that. And The Office, because that brings joy. As a patriotic Canadian, Schitt’s Creek. That shows so much evolution of how interactions are seen.

Lyne. Take you back in time, North and South. She is a sucker for corsets and period pieces. She watched it over and over. Golden Girls. [Cat agreed.] She wants to play around at that age. Such a great comedy. She keeps asking her agent to get her more comedy.

Cat. The age of the Golden Girls on the show is the age of the cast of Sex and the City now. Attitudes have changed.

Question. Referring back to an earlier question, what would your season 1 character say to your season 3 character?

Lyne. You never know what is coming. S1 Alder would have been baffled to see S3 Alder and would have a lot of questions. Alder would feel in awe and feel smaller compared to the Mother and the Mycelium. She would feel respect and humbled.

Cat. If S1 Petra met S3 Petra she would have had a head full of interrogation persona. Why choose Alder over your own mother? Should she let Scylla be free? What if Abigail does not follow the path? She would be in full on interrogation mode, but S1 Petra wouldn’t have learned anything from the answers. She would have been caught up in analysis paralysis.

Question. How did the characters feel when Alder was away from the army and Petra stepped into the army to take her place?

At the start, Alder saw Petra as someone who was coming for her place, taking on some of that character. When Petra did take her office, it would have been so easy to play that resentment. But the two women came together in respect – the S3 arm clinch. They could acknowledge and respect each other. Alder understood that Petra was the perfect general to take over from her. She was ready to leave that legacy.

Cat. She was a witness to the story. Alder started with a sense of responsibility, she was maternal to the military. Petra grew up in the military to compete. But she developed to collaborate. People have that lens and it changes and intensifies. Alder became a better mother. Petra became a better leader. From S1, she could flourish as she developed.