June Workshop - Stage Combat

By Joey Nunez

Who would have thought that fighting could be so much fun? 

Rachel St. John and Sean Stanley, stage combat instructors and experts, demonstrated to and assisted participants as we "fought" each other on Sunday, June 21, in the GIC auditorium. 

My partner, Wil, and I enjoyed trying various moves on each other including face-slapping, upper-cuts, side punches, foot-stomping, headlocks, and other movements. Safety was priority, so Rachel, Sean and Dave St. John (the combat assistant) patiently showed us the moves in both slow- and fast-motion. 

I really appreciated the one-on-one attention that Rachel and Sean provided, giving us personalised instructions about what to do, what to avoid and how to make the fighting appear more realistic to an audience. I never hit Wil, and he never hit me, but it sure looked like we did! 

Actions speak louder than words, so I was glad to add an extra layer to my acting skill set. 

The next GPP workshop will be lead by Caitlin O'Neill and Anna Volle, focussing on audition techniques for Shakespearian works, on Saturday, July 25. Auditions for this years production of A Midsummer Night's Dream will be held the next day; Sunday, July 26. 

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