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

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.

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     

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

Review :
“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.