Saturday 7:30pm: An Evening of Chivalry

6 February, 2010 7:30-11:30 pm
$25 tickets (free drink)

Explore and Experience

• Swordplay performances
• Door Prizes
• Edibles and Potables
• Live Music

The Grand Opening

Celebrate the opening of the Arms and Armour Museum.

Sunday 10am: Open House

7 February, 2010 10am-4pm

• Rapier, Longsword, Sword and Shield Demos
• Tours of our History of Arms Interactive Museum
• Tournaments at Arms
• Demonstrations of Falconry
• Stage Combat Performances
• Free Swordplay Lessons

More

Click over to LearnSwordPlay.com or call 604.568.9907

I’ve been away from the blog for a few weeks, at the FDC National Workshop in Waterloo, then the process of moving from Toronto to Vancouver. In the meantime, there have been a few news items about stage combat, and I’ve picked three for you today: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

As is the tradition, let’s start with the Bad news:
Hanging around for the credits | Nashua Telegraph

…does “Jersey Boys” really need a fight director? I realize this is a story about some sketchy guys from New Jersey, but c’mon. This wasn’t exactly “Goodfellas the Musical.” Yeah, there are a few Tony Soprano-type moments, but I can hardly remember any real dustups in the play.

You, my readers, know that a few Soprano moments can mean a broken nose if you don’t have a fight director. But that’s not all. He goes on:

…“Romeo and Juliet.” What? I don’t recall any kickboxing or scissor holds in Shakespeare. A fight director for the Bard? Instead, how about a translator for those of us not too well versed in Shakespearean prose?

Is he just being inflammatory? Or is this critic “not too well versed in Shakespearean” anything? Even if the first scene of the play is not depicted as a major Capulet vs. Montague brawl (which it should be, since the Prince has to break it up on penalty of death), there are still two sword fights in which characters are mortally wounded on stage. Does Mike Morin believe a fight choreographer is not needed for major sword fights?

He follows up that article with somewhat of a retraction in his next item. He is schooled by one of the actors from Jersey Boys on the importance of a fight director here: Getting a lesson in musical theatre.

Here’s the Ugly, when things go wrong:

Blanchett injured in stage fight | The Sydney Morning Herald

Edgerton accidentally hit Blanchett in the head with a ’60s-style radio. The impact could be heard in the audience and the actress and STC co-artistic director fell down on all fours. Several people said they could see blood streaming down the back of Blanchett’s head. She went off stage to fetch clothes for Stanley’s wife, Stella (Robin McLeavy), and used some of them to try to staunch the flow of blood.

A spokesperson reported that Cate is fine, and expects to continue the run immediately.

And finally, to end on a positive note, the Good:
Lessons from the experts of theatre | guardian.co.uk

Kombat Kate provided invaluable pointers for stage combat, demonstrating just how much preparation theatrical fights need to be dramatically coherent, safe and effective. Combat is often the casualty of a short rehearsal period and a hamstrung budget – paying for fight choreography can seem like a luxury to the penniless young director or producer. But it’s not. A slapdash fight in which actors lose concentration and go too fast or slip out of control is a fight in which someone is going to get their nose broken or their ear-drum perforated, not to mention the fact that it will look rubbish on stage. Every fight tells a story in microcosm: working with a good fight director will help ensure that the narrative isn’t garbled.

To have a director publicly recognize the value of having a fight director is heartening. Although we like individual praise and good reviews, what we really need to cultivate is a culture that understands that the job itself is valuable… and in many cases it is indispensable.

Attendance

We had 6 participants, which was an ideal number for this workshop. Next time, I’ll aim for a larger group only if we have the whole space. As it stood, neither group was cramped, and on a sweltering day, that’s important.

Outline

10 am: Warm up, introduction to Bartitsu

• Meet attendees
• Discuss context and history
• Physical warm up
• Tactics: avoidance (e.g. walk in middle of street)
• Tactics: effective action – equilibrium (stance, opponent’s)
• Tactics: effective action – distance (weapon danger zone)

11 am: Self-Defence in 19th Century

• Thrown overcoat
• Backfall/Breakfall
• Arm lever (from lapel grab, from overhead attack)
• Jiujitsu/Judo throws (from grab, from overhead, from bear-hug)

12 pm: Walking Stick

• Stances and Grips
• Cuts and Thrusts, with footwork
• Guard by distance (step back)
• Guard by distance (step in)
• Invitation to head

1 pm: Lunch
2 pm: Scientific Boxing, Savate

• Stance
• Striking: lead, cross
• Defense: guard right (inside), guard left (outside)
• Kicks: chasse-croise, coup de pied bas

3 pm: Modern Unarmed

• De-escalation posture, reaction to grab
• Psychological dominance (rapidity, direction, initiative)
• Saving the knuckles (palm strike, elbows)
• Systema punch
• Sticky hands/chi gung flow
• Reintegration with Neo-bartitsu: principles.

4 pm: Modern Umbrella

• Umbrella weaknesses (not a “stout stick”)
• Grip(s)
• “Lighter stick” drills (preemptive strike to head, throw/kick/hook/figure-4)
• “vs boxer” drill (jump to outside, turn 180, strike knee/shin)
• Open umbrella as cloak for leg attack

Video

Here is a 6-minute clip from the workshop. This is towards the end (after 4pm) when I was discussing Neo-bartitsu. We had already done umbrella, and added comments about knife defense.
[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

Feedback

If my participants would like to use the comment section below, I’d love to hear your reactions to the workshop. Did anything surprise you? What was your favourite section? Did you think of any questions afterwards?

“You must practice until the sword becomes an extension of your body.”

A study published recently in the journal Current Biology shows that when you use a tool, your brain incorporates it into your body-plan. The idea of tools being part of your body (especially an expert) is not a new idea. It just never had any evidence from scientific research – until now.

After using a mechanical grabber that extended their reach, people behaved as though their arm really was longer, they found. What’s more, study participants perceived touches delivered on the elbow and middle fingertip of their arm as if they were farther apart after their use of the grabbing tool.

That second finding means that the grabber tricked their brain into thinking their arm was longer than it really was.

“We believe this ability of our body representation to functionally adapt to incorporate tools is the fundamental basis of skillful tool use,” Cardinali said. “Once the tool is incorporated in the body schema, it can be maneuvered and controlled as if it were a body part itself.” Brain represents tools as temporary body parts, study confirms

If a student is performing a cut inefficiently, using too much muscle to force the weapon around, I’ll often tell them to “put your mind in the tip”… meaning that they should not think that they are so far from the action. I’m glad that there’s a solid foundation for that kind of advice, instead of hocus pokus.

Here is a good article that both details his life and the circumstances of his death:

Actor David Carradine Murdered Or Asphyxiation?

If it’s true that he didn’t commit suicide and he wasn’t murdered, then what, an accident? That seems a bit difficult to understand. I mean, how does a curtain cord accidently get taken down and wrapped around the throat of a nude person; unless it is something called the ”choking game”.

In short, he was found in a closet, naked, with a curtain rope tied around his neck. He was in a sitting posture. There were no signs of a break-in or any struggle. There are conflicting reports of whether his hands were tied behind his back or not. There is also no word if there was a suicide note or not.

Those close to him say that although the past couple of years have been hard, and he has been in debt, that he was not suicidal. He had been addicted to alcohol, but was happily drink free for a while. He also had a career slowdown, but he was in Bangkok to shoot a new movie, so being out of work is no argument.

Some have speculated about murder, but absent signs of struggle, it is hard to see how. Remember that there’s always a “why”, the difficult (and more relevant) question in any murder investigation is “how”. Why? Some have mentioned his debts. But that’s irrelevant compared to: How? How do you gain access to a man’s room, subdue him without causing any signs of struggle, then choke him to death and leave without a trace? Consider that compared to the “easier” means of dispatching an enemy.

The article I cited above hits what may be the best hypothesis: erotic asphyxiation. There may or may not have been a partner.

However, let us remember that anything we theorize at this point is pure speculation. We only have brief descriptions of the scene plus his personal history to go on. And any information about his personal life is suspect because he tried to stay out of the tabloids, and anything you read in the media may be sensationalized. So, please wait for the police report and further information before drawing your conclusions.

And let us remember the enigmatic David Carradine for his work and his qualities as a fine human being.

Highlander TV SwordMaster

His pledge to the producers was that he would provide an original move or way of using a weapon in every episode. “Original” meaning that the technique would not have been previously seen in film or television. He was also given the artistic freedom to decide on the weapons used in each fight.

He talks about that time, when they filmed an episode every five days, as a fight director’s dream. Always learning and implementing new weapons and styles.

Intimidating By Reputation Only

McAsh is a tremendously nice guy with a strong hand-shake. He smiles a lot and has an avuncular manner that is easy to like. Barrel chested and deep-voiced, it is odd to hear him talking about the book he is writing or the hours he spends in the library doing research. You expect him to be brawling with ruffians. Even to hear him talk about the history of swords is a little unnerving.

He has a deep knowledge of swords, military history, and the use of weapons through time. To understand a particular sword shape and its proper use is intimately tied to the armour used, and both exist in a context. To truly master any individual weapon, Braun recommends researching every aspect of its circumstances. And he exemplifies that advice, a veritable encyclopedia of arms and armour.

Head of the McAsh Clan

Yes, he has a castle or two. We talked about our Scottish ancestry and the fact that he is the eldest of his clan.

Stage Combat and Stunts

We talked for a while about the sad state of stage combat in Vancouver. (More on that in another rant – I mean article). Suffice to say that he echoes a sentiment I’ve heard before: that Vancouver is dominated by stunt coordinators who can get away with injuries and breaking weapons, leaving no room for the safe fight choreographer. He is careful not to cast stones and never mentions names, but can barely contain his contempt for movies that have 300 accident reports.

Sword Research Yields Practical Hilt

At the end of the evening, he showed me his custom hilt with a thumb ring. The image to the right is a thumb-ring on a different sword, just for illustration purposes. The thumb-ring on his side-sword was not a closed loop, but a U-shaped side ring on the thumb side of the hilt. He said that all kinds of cuts are improved by taking advantage of this shape.

I did a couple of moulinets to see what he was talking about. To be able to suspend the sword on the thumb at the bottom of a vertical circle gives a lot of mechanical power to bring it back around the rest of the circle. I was sold.

He theorizes that it developed from the scimitar, and other curved swords used by mounted cavalry. It is most often found in German swords. From its usefulness in completing big circles, one can see how horse riders would love it, but also understand why it fell out of use for infantry. It is useless for thrusting.

Keeping Up

As I alluded to, he is in the middle of writing a book, though computer problems have interrupted his process this week. He is still working on films, and spent this week on set. I met him at Academie Duello, where he organizes their Stage Combat Study Group, and drops in for other classes as often as he is able. Come by on Friday evening for free sparring, and you might meet him yourself.

From Vancouver Observer:

Fat Pig: Highly Recommended
Director Michael Scholar Jr. has done a great job at staging the play in a way that keeps the audience focused and engaged. The set is minimal and shifts direction, both physically and metaphorically, at several points throughout the performance.

Kathryn Kirkpatrick delivers a brave and stellar performance as Helen, the object of Tom’s (Lawrence Haegert) desire and Haegert pulls us in completely with his performance, giving us hope that he’ll come through in the end. Jennifer Mawhinney and Aaron Craven’s characters (Jeannie, Carter) provide the cringe. Their dialogue is rich with all we try to hide in ourselves.

Fat Pig is a play that everyone should see. If you can get past the title, it’s definitely worth the time.
Vancouver Observer: Articles

The play is not about obesity itself, but concerns honesty. I found it a fascinating exploration of what it means to be honest with oneself and with others. Is being truthful always good? Is changing your mind a matter of integrity? Is there any truth or lies without a society’s judgment? Each of the characters struggle with these ideas, and that’s what makes this play engaging.

A couple of other reviews:

From “An Unidentified Production”: Blog by TwentySomething Theatre

This Is What I Like To See
The quality of this Vancouver production of “Fat Pig” was equal to what I saw on Broadway.

From Irresistible Theatre: Blog by Angela Konrad

Fat is Phat
Michael Scolar Jr. has created a terrific production in every respect. In addition to drawing lovely performances from his actors, the staging is inventive without being self-conscious, the pacing is spot on, and the comedy and pathos are in perfect balance.

Fat Pig makes my first Top Ten entry of 2009.

The performances are selling out, so call to reserve tickets.

Where: Performance Works, Granville Island
When: May 20 – 30
Tickets: Tues – Thur & Matinees $21.50; Fri – Sat $25.50
Contact: 604 684 2787
Tickets Online: ticketstonight.ca
Website: www.fatpig.ca

Fat Pig

Jesse nominated actor Michael Scholar Jr. takes the Director’s reigns for “Fat Pig”, with actors Kathryn Kirkpatrick (Helen), Aaron Craven (Carter), Jennifer Mawhinney (Jeannie),and Lawrence Haegert (Tom) giving compelling performances filled with realism and passion. “Fat Pig” also features designs by Itai Erdel (Lighting) and Naomi Sider (Costume and set Design) with poster design by Dion Johnstone and website design by Richard Johnson. – Fat Pig website

The Vancouver premiere of Fat Pig by Neil LaBute opens May 20 on Granville Island, 1218 Cartwright St. There is not much physical violence in the piece, but I consulted for the stage combat. I also watched a full run of the show. The writing is by turns hilarious and heart-wrenching. With news piling up every day about the obesity epidemic, it is important to see theatre that reminds us that fat people are first and foremost people. The acting is strong from all four performers, the timing is tight, and the emotional connections are touching.

I loved working with the talented cast, and I can’t wait to see opening night. Hopefully I’ll see you there.

Why? Is it biological or cultural?

Do our ancestors share our violent tendencies?

The Violent Time Machine

We can look at chimpanzees to see what our evolutionary forebears would have done. Jane Goodall watched the chimps, and noticed that they had clear territories, and when they got near another tribe’s border, they would shout at each other and occasionally charge, but don’t actually fight very often. So although they intimidated members of other groups, they were relatively peaceful according to these early observations.

By the 1970s, the view of chimps changed. Researchers witnessed a kidnapping of an infant chimp by a neighboring tribe. The baby was murdered, and then brought back to the center of their range. Then in 1974, a small party of chimps invaded the adjacent territory and found a male eating alone. They sneaked up to him and ambushed him, beating him so badly that he died within two days. Further study revealed that this was not a rare behaviour.

Human hunter-gatherer tribes seem to behave in similar ways. It makes sense. The best way for most animals to have healthier lives is to have more food. For territorial animals like chimps and humans, that means expanding territory. In order to do this, the larger males must intimidate or overcome the neighbors. And this leads to a systematic killing of males. Each male killed is a significant shift of power in small tribes.

Have we evolved away from this behaviour?

Bipedalism: Not Just For Walking Anymore

The standard anthropological argument was that we developed bipedalism because it was better for walking on the ground, as compared to using all four limbs in the trees. When it became apparent that we aren’t great walkers, some researchers changed their theories and claimed that humans are optimized for running long distances.

There are no clear advantages to walking or running bipedally for an organism that is already adapted to walking on four legs. Just try to outrun a dog sometime, you’ll quickly find who has the energy advantage. But what makes sense is that if you fight with your fore limbs rather than your mouth, it’s better to be able to balance and move well on two legs.

The longer your legs, the better walker or long-distance runner you are. For examples, look at the olympic champions in the marathon and the walking races. If we were evolving bipedalism in order to walk, we should have evolved longer legs. However, we kept short legs in Australopithecus because walking wasn’t the point: you fight better standing on two short legs.

Modern Humans Can’t Fight

But we don’t look like we’re built to fight. Humans do not have claws or fangs. We’re not as strong as gorillas, or even chimps (pound-for-pound). But we have big palms, big thumbs, and shorter fingers. Good for tool use? Yes, but longer fingers would be better. You know what our proportions are good for? Making a tight fist. Other primates can’t do it. All apes can grasp objects and hold them tightly, but only the human can form a fist to punch with.

But anatomy is versatile, and we can’t infer that any structure was designed for a purpose, only that it evolved and natural selection didn’t find anything better. So what other evidence can we find?

Know Thy Enemy

Most social animals can assess fighting ability in others of the same species without actually fighting. They may dance or display or just observe, and the weaker party walks away. Do humans have the ability to assess fighting ability without fighting? Yes. A recent study demonstrated that subjects who were shown an image of a face only (even the neck was digitally removed), they could accurately rate how strong the person was.

It is likely to be due to the effect of testosterone on the facial structure. High testosterone gives you more muscle mass, more aggression, plus that “caveman” look: big eyebrow ridge, wide jaw. It’s what we try to imitate when we make an angry face. Even people blind from birth make this face when angry: eyebrows flexed downward and together, corners of the mouth down-turned. This pushes more flesh into the areas that would be bigger if you had more testosterone. It’s just like a cobra’s hood, or your dog hunching his shoulders and raising his back-hair. It makes them look scary.

Do our brains work differently than those deadly animals?

Aggression Is Its Own Reward

Mice enjoy punishing other mice. You can make a mouse learn a trick by rewarding them with food. You can also train them to perform the same trick by making the reward an opportunity to attack another male mouse. No extra food, just aggression. They get a feeling of satisfaction from a release of dopamine in the brain when that happens. It’s the reward center of the brain, the same thing happens with heroin.

When men are shown violent videos, they get the same rush of brain chemicals as when they’re shown sexy videos as observed in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). So that means that, like the mouse, adult humans get a dopamine reward and feel pleasure from watching violence just as much as sex.

Recent Developments in Peace

The good news is that things are actually improving in our daily lives. Many people believe that the 20th century has been the bloodiest ever, marked by more wars and more death than ever before. In raw numbers, this is true. However, the proportions of violent deaths has been declining rapidly. Each war has seen fewer casualties.

The best part is that our daily lives are devoid of violence for most of the population. I don’t mean to marginalize those unfortunate people who live in warzones, but the truth is that those that fear for their lives on a daily basis are very few. Not long ago, the human race was living like those chimpanzees: raiding neighboring tribes, and losing fighting men every year. So maybe watching MMA and great stage fights is an acceptable alternative to the human losses we suffered in the past.

FDC 2009 Nationals

In case you weren’t aware, I am the VP of Communications for Fight Directors Canada, and the webmaster. As such, I have the pleasure of announcing that I have completed a major re-design of the FDC site.

Click Here for the All New FDC.CA

Features

• Glossary: Yes, the FDC glossary is back online.
• Member Profiles: All members get a listing, categorized by their level, and with tags indicating where you live and your union status.
• Beautiful: Don’t you love the new look? If you think something doesn’t look right, it might be because you’re using Internet Explorer. Try Firefox, it’s free and renders pages more accurately and quickly.
• Awesomeness: Need I say more?

National Workshop

Don’t forget to sign up for the National Stage Combat Workshop held in Waterloo, Ontario this year. You get a 30% discount if you register before April 1!