Dale Christian College in Armadale.
SamWe had a great show today at the Dale Christian College in Armadale with a total of 8 members attending. The class was small but very well behaved and interested. We had Emlyn’s games, firestarting, armour and weapons and firelighting followed by a short fighting display.
Derek and Gaynor showed off their firebug roots and Gaynor also lead the sharpshooters with the crossbows. Judd, Mark and Matt showed off the range of armour and weapons available and waxed lyrical while I made the children work out what goes where with my armour scattered about. Emlyn ran the games. Before the battle some of the boys helped me into my armour.
The fighting was brief but very well received. First Mark and Emlyn fought with Mark finishing off the invading Viking. Then Judd and I fought in our full armour. My sword belt was on the wrong way around and my helmet fell off but despite this I was able to defeat Judd.
Given a moment to breathe we then had a final fight in which I recruited two Irish (Mark and Emlyn) to help me fight Judd and Matt. Taking on Matt I was overconfident about finishing him fast so let the Irish hold off the well armoured Judd. Unfortunately Matt was too fast and I was unable to finish him quickly. The Irish fought well but Judd ended up finishing them off. Matt managed a disarm on me and brought me down where upon I was captured.
After much debating and explaining from Derek, the children agreed to let me live. The teacher and the children were impressed.
Afterwards we had a look at the things they had built, including 3 trebs and an extraordinarily lethal morning star, and were ourselves very impressed.
Thanks to Mark, Emlynn, Judd, Matt, BJ, Gaynor and Derek for coming along and making a very fun show of it.
Sam
Day in Pompeii Parts III & IV
juddWell folks, we wrapped up the final of our Day in Pompeii shows for the corresponding exhibit at the WA Museum and it was undoubtedly some of our finest work.
Pictures are up for our Third and Fourth shows.
The ebb and flow of a great show is something that’s usually quite hard to put your finger on but one thing is for certain, you know it when you see it.
The grand entrance of Senator Titus and his Domina (and accompanying Praetorian Guardsmen), the Processori (introduction of the Gladiators) and the brutal (and quick) bloodshed of the captured barbarians killing each other in the arena are always quick to get the audience into things.
Along with the introductions and brief descriptions of weaponry and armour, there is also the explanation of how the crowd is meant to help the good Senator Titus decide whether a gladiator lives or dies after they’ve yielded in a fight.
Instead of just thumbs up or down (like a movie review) it’s thumb sideways (lives) and down (dies) and a surprising amount of the crowd proves themselves quite bloodthirsty in demanding that the losing gladiators, who have lost their favour so, be put to a quick and honourable death.
A myriad of different fights presented a wide range of fighting styles and deathly blows, from the heavy-on-heavy of two gargantuan Murmillos pummeling each other, to the lithe and nimble Retiarius slashing and spearing the Dimachara (two swords) or a Thracean or two. There’s even a captured Dacean fighter that proves himself quite well with his native chopping spear, the Falx, while he leaps and chops his way through his fellow captives, fighting his way towards freedom… or a glorious death in the arena.
All up, a wonderful series of shows, and an exhibit that’s closing soon, so you should definitely check it out!