Sword Techniques for the Stage

EMAILNOTICES>noI was recently informed of an upcoming workshop;Sword Combat for the Stage.There are Two session;
1. 8-10pm 6, 13 and 20th Sept.
2. 9am-12pm 30 Sept and 1st Oct.Venue - Mt Lawley Snr High School.
Cost - $60 / personFor more details, email me directly.
labru@hotmail.comJeff.

> I was recently informed of an upcoming workshop;> Sword Combat for the Stage.> There are Two session;
> 1. 8-10pm 6, 13 and 20th Sept.
> 2. 9am-12pm 30 Sept and 1st Oct.> Venue - Mt Lawley Snr High School.
> Cost - $60 / person> For more details, email me directly.
> labru@hotmail.com> Jeff.This sounds like it might be being put on, or even run by, Cavaliers Fencing School. Back in my youth I used to fence with them, and I would highly recommend anyone intrigued by swordplay to attend. Nice bunch of folk at Cavs.El

Sorry to interupt, Jeff "Fairbanks" Watkins & Eliot "Scaramouche!" McCann.This for any little ones watching - please don't try this at home!(I nicked this off the stagecraft newsgroup)In today's Boston Globe (28 July 99) there was a small
article about some actor doing a sword fight scene in an arts
in the parks type event. He was stabbed with the blunted
stage sword and sustained a two inch puncture wound where
the sword went between the plates of his stage armor. He
was taken to the local hospital and treated.Remember, even if the sword is not sharp, it can
still do major damage to a human body. Be careful.--DaleActually the Globe left a few details out that our local paper carried much
more comprehensively - The fight scene was choreographed and rehearsed under
the supervision of a pro fight arranger/ choreographer and had been performed
many times with no mishaps, For this particular performance however, the ACTOR
lost his concentration and focus and let his mind wander - eye contact was lost
and whoops = he paid. 3 stitches and he was back for the next performance I
believe. The production is THOMAS OF WOODSTOCK and I will be privileged to be
taking my summer theatre youth - some 20 plus in number - to see this show on
Saturday evening. We used this little story as an example of what can happen
when your concentration goes out the window and why it's so important. Just
love those educational opportunities.DebHugh Davies-Webb ...
>I would always insist on an Equity registered Fight Director to
>choreograph any fight sequences in a show, whether they be Pro or
>Amateur. They're not that expensive in the scheme of things, and they
>can usually point you in the right direction as to getting weapons, or
>they can hire you some themselves.
>
>A good fight director can add so much to a play, and usually they're
>jobbing actors as well...
>
>Hugh.
>hughdw@my-hovel.demon.co.uk
>Hugh Davies-WebbA stage fight needs as much rehearsal as any other scene in the play, and
maybe a lot more. Few directors realise this.Often, you have to teach the actors the basics of handling a sword, before
you can even start rehearsing the fight for the play. Then you have to teach
them the fight you have designed, and then they have to practice it, until
they can do it blindfold. Including the 'escape' sequence, for when one of
the actors has forgotten a bit.Fight arranging is a highly skilled job. Don't let just anybody do it. ( I
once was playing Sir Lucius O'Trigger in "The Rivals", and we got to the
final dress before anybody realised that the fight hadn't been set! (Don
Haig, are you reading?))More importantly, don't let someone provide the weapons, and then say to the
cast: "work it out for yourself". IF 'fight' THEN 'fight arranger'. That
means telling the actors EVERY move they make with their swords, and making
sure that they've done it often enough that it's second nature.Frank Wood
frank@woodf-l.dircon.co.uk...I would always insist on an Equity registered Fight Director to
choreograph any fight sequences in a show, whether they be Pro or
Amateur. They're not that expensive in the scheme of things, and they
can usually point you in the right direction as to getting weapons, or
they can hire you some themselves.A good fight director can add so much to a play, and usually they're
jobbing actors as well...Hugh.
hughdw@my-hovel.demon.co.ukHugh Davies-Webbcouple of months ago someone was killed
in a look a like accident )= They were pro's
but a dead pro is as bad as a dead amaturmomentum on a heavy blunt weapon and swords
are kinda heavy can kill just as fast as an edgejust $ 0.02Joost-WebbThe only fencing I know about is the that keeps that ........ dog in from next door!Gentlemen - carry on ...... "ON GUARD"Joe> This sounds like it might be being put on, or even run by, Cavaliers
> Fencing School. Back in my youth I used to fence with them, and I
> would highly recommend anyone intrigued by swordplay to attend. Nice
> bunch of folk at Cavs.> El

EMAILNOTICES>no> This sounds like it might be being put on, or even run by, Cavaliers
> Fencing School. Back in my youth I used to fence with them, and I
> would highly recommend anyone intrigued by swordplay to attend. Nice
> bunch of folk at Cavs.According to the Documentation it's the WAFA;"Pieter Leeuwenburgh is the National Director of Coaching with the Australian Fencing Federation and Master of Arms in Foil, Epee and Sabre.
Pieter will be in Perth at the invitation of the Western Australian Fencing Association.
His visit is sponsored by the Alcoa Coach-in-Residence program which is administered through the Ministry of Sport and Recreation."Jeff.