Stage Combat Masterclass - 'Hollywood Swashbuckling'

Ever wanted to do those flashy swords fights of classic cinema? Even recreate some of those fantastic sequences from mives like The Court Jester, and The Princess Bride? Was Errol Flynn a role model for you?

Well, those of you who said yes to any of these, you missed out. I attended and had a ball. Andy Fraser, Perth's only Registered Stage Combat Trainer of any importance hosted a wonderful two hour session on flashy (if a little unreal) sword combat.

Early film combat sequences as anyone in the industry will tell you, had more focus on flash and dash then realism or potential threat. With strong influences from the established sport of Fencing, many movies the standard straight line, to and fro combat sequences that are so associated with 'Swashbuckling' today. It is nothing like the grunt and sweat, blood and tears style of stage combat you see on most modern day films, and yet there is something so very dashing and wonderful about it. The tinging of the swords, the fancy foot work and the way the fighters would seem to glid around their battle fields, all-be-it back and forth along a straight line.

How would you expect to learn in two hours? Not a lot one would think. This is not so. Within the two hours, Andy was able to instruct us in severl fancy techniques as well as explain the theorised origins for the term 'Swashbuckling'.

Most of all it was fun. Next month, it's historical sword fighting and I plan to be there again.

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ANDY FRASER is a fully certified Fight Director and Stage Combat Instructor who has been living and working in Perth since 2001. He holds accreditation from both the Society of Australian Fight Directors Inc. (SAFDI), the British Academy of Dramatic Combat (BADC) and he serves as the SAFDI’s West Australian Representative.

Andy has choreographed fights for many companies in Perth including Black Swan Theatre Company (The Crucible, The Carnivores, Accidental Death Of An Anarchist, Zastrozzi); Deckchair Theatre (Love, Prayer To An Iron God); Shakespeare In The Park (The Comedy Of Errors, Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo & Juliet); Happy Dagger Theatre (Oleanna); Perth Theatre Company (Hamlet, Talk About The Passion); Barking Gecko (Trains Of Thought); West Australian Opera (Carmen, Don Giovanni). Screen credits include Teesh & Trude, The Shark Net, and Lockie Leonard.

Andy also regularly teaches Stage Combat at institutions including WAAPA, Australian Opera Studio and Total Theatre Training. (Taken from the Black Swan Web Site)