by Siobhan Richardson | Aug 21, 2014 | journal
Inspired by a theatre company’s request for retractible knife recommendation: In fight direction circles for stage, retractible knives are generally considered extremely dangerous and unnecessary. It’s one of those things, like contact slaps, that most...
by Siobhan Richardson | Aug 12, 2014 | journal
I knew I this book would be well-written, having read other work by Guy Windsor. However, I didn’t expect that I would be so inspired by it! First, the information is so well-presented. The text is easy to understand, and the photos are absolutely clear, sometimes...
by Siobhan Richardson | Aug 6, 2014 | FAQ, Travel Stories
We spent this weekend visiting our dear friend and mentor, Dwight McLemore and his lovely wife, Jeneene (she makes a delicious peanut soup, by the way!). During this trip, we remembered a few key things about driving across borders, so I thought it would be helpful to...
by Siobhan Richardson | Jul 30, 2014 | Resources
Missing the fightlife? Committed to furthering your training in stage combat? You may want to invest in a sword so that you can do some solo work at home (if you get a companion to it, you might just interest someone nearby, too!). It’s one way you can keep your...
by Siobhan Richardson | Jul 27, 2014 | Best Practices
Congratulations! You’ve spent hours and hours on your test fights, and you should be proud of all the work you’ve done! At this point, many people want to post the video of their exam, but I caution against it. Posting the video from your test fight is...
by Siobhan Richardson | Jul 23, 2014 | Resources
Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence. — Abigail Adams Craving some more stage combat? Some fighting and community? Plan a workshop! Few of us are lucky enough to have a community close-by, so you may...
by Siobhan Richardson | Jul 14, 2014 | Self-Care
I first heard this expression from Peppe Östensson. It describes the withdrawal we all feel after a workshop. We’re mentally exhausted and physically depleted. Plus, you’re leaving the people who have become your family over the last two weeks....
by Siobhan Richardson | Jul 13, 2014 | Best Practices
For FDC’s National Workshop, 2014. It’s test day. Remember: It’s all about the story. It’s tempting to get caught up in performing the technique perfectly, and yes, perfect technique is lovely to watch. But in the end, if you don’t know...
by Siobhan Richardson | Jul 12, 2014 | Rehearsal Methods
Easy (Barenaked Ladies) Come Fly With Me (Michael Bublé) Falling for the First Time (Barenaked Ladies) Don’t Stop Me Now (Queen) Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe (from Dil Chata Hai) Like Flames (Berlin) Cartoon Heroes (Aqua) Skip to 1:30 for the song proper to start...
by Siobhan Richardson | Jul 12, 2014 | Actor's Process
“…Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” Dylan Thomas All too often, test fights end with a “light switch” kill, meaning that the character gets stabbed and one breath later, they expire (many...
