The Swords of Shakespeare: An Illustrated Guide to Stage Combat Choreography in the Plays of Shakespeare

by J.D. Martinez

Overview

Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Richard III and many other Shakespeare plays have at least one thing in common: fight scenes, usually with swords.

This book is a step-by-step guide to choreographing stage combat scenes, particularly the principal duels (both comic and tragic) in Henry IV, Henry VI, Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Troilus and Cressida, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Coriolanus, Cymbeline and The Two Noble Kinsmen.

The safety and training of actors is also covered as well as a brief history of Elizabethan swordplay. The work includes 473 illustrations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786476091
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	04/10/2013
Pages:	286
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

J. D. Martinez is fight master emeritus of the Society of American Fight Directors. He lives in Lexington, Virginia.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements     
Introduction     
Principles Of Stage Fight Choreography     
Ancient History Vs. Modern Practice     
Safety And Training     
A Brief History Of Elizabethan Swordplay     

THE CHOREOGRAPHY     

Henry IV, Part 1     
Douglas vs. Blunt     
Douglas vs. King Henry     
Douglas vs. Prince Henry     
Hotspur vs. Prince Henry     

Henry IV, Part 2      
Falstaff vs. Pistol     

Henry VI, Part 1     
Charles vs. Joan De Pucelle     
Talbot vs. Joan De Pucelle     

Henry VI, Part 2     
Horner vs. Peter     
Cade vs. Iden     
Clifford vs. York     
Richard vs. Somerset     

Henry VI, Part 3     
Richard vs. Clifford     

Richard III     
Richard vs. Richmond     

Romeo and Juliet     
Benvolio vs. Tybalt     
Mercutio vs. Tybalt     
Romeo vs. Tybalt     
Paris vs. Romeo     

Hamlet     
Hamlet vs. Laertes     

Troilus and Cressida     
Ajax vs. Hector     
Troilus vs. Diomedes     
Troilus vs. Ajax and Diomedes     
Archilles vs. Hector     
Menelaus vs. Paris     

Othello     
Montano vs. Cassio     

King Lear     
Cornwall and Regan vs. Servant     
Kent vs. Edmund     
Oswald vs. Edgar     
Edgar vs. Edmund     

Macbeth     
Macbeth vs. Young Siward     
Macbeth vs. Macduff     

Coriolanus     
Coriolanus vs. Aufidius     

Cymberline     
Cloten vs. Guiderius     
Jachicmo vs. Posthumus     

The Two Noble Kinsmen     
Palamon vs. Arcite     

Glossary     

Appendix I: The Society of American Fight Directors     
Appendix II: Suppliers of Stage Weapons     

Bibliography     
Index     

Editorial Reviews

with so many provocative and useful materials...every theatre library, theatre practitioner, and performance scholar will want [this book]”—Shakespeare Bulletin; “an excellent resource for stage fight directors [and] anyone interested in Elizabethan swordplay”—Hammerterz Forum.

From the Publisher