Day in Pompeii – Part I & II
juddPictures are up, of course, so be sure and intermingle your bloodlust during reading with the eye-pleasing colour and pageantry of the exhibition as well.
Grey Company was recently contracted by the WA Museum to perform in front of the museum during the "Day in Pompeii" exhibit, and we were only too happy to oblige.
The fact that an exhibit of this importance, with 2,000 year-old artifacts from one of the most fascinating of ancient cultures, almost perfectly preserved in volcanic ash, was coming all the way to humble Perth was only slightly more impactful to our club than the idea that, as what amounts to a theatre performance group, our club is perfectly suited to the crowd interaction (and bloodthirstiness) of the classic Roman Collosseum.
We aim to please.
The first performance day was at the end of May and the latest performance was yesterday, June 20th, and both were phenomenal.
For both Sundays worth of shows, 4 in total, the crowds were both thick and excellent, cheering loudly for their favourite gladiators and issuing harsh judgements of those that they felt deserved the "thumbs down" or a suggestion to our honourable Tribune, the glorious and impetuous Titus Titinius Geminus, that the defeated gladiator be quickly put to death.
For each show, the setup entails a somewhat standard circus-like atmosphere and ensuing performance. The classic scenarios for each show included:
- An introduction and welcoming to The Games, from the notable senator Titus Titinius Geminus himself, in both the traditional Latin and our own Queen’s English. Titus being heavily guarded by the meanest Praetorians he could find, no doubt, and accompanied by his favourite wife.
- The Processori, or procession, of the Gladiators coming in and being introduced to a racous cheer from the crowd. Some of them with even an extended introduction and explanation of their weapons and armour.
- A couple of warrior chieftains of conquered tribes fighting each other for the right to bear arms, in the arena, against the finest Gladiators on offer. Typically forced onto the field by the Praetorian Guard with the overtly implied options of "Fight or Be Executed". Given the options, the Dacian and the Frank tend to go for the weapons and tear into each other, literally. The Dacian wielding his Falx and doing significant damage. He tends to be a crowd favourite for his wildly decorated blue-painted face and sprightly and energetic attack on his enemies.
- Next is a "heavy" VS. a "light" – A Murmillo gladiator, a representative of the standard Roman soldier, who would don a fish-like helmet, manica (or scale-like arm armour) and leg protection, with scutum (legion-style shield) would take on a "pretty" fighter, a primadonna if you will, in the Retiarius, the Fisherman. The heavily-armoured Murmillo is solid and strong against the lighter and more susceptible Retiarius, who relies on his/her speed and agility to manoevre around their very dangerous aggressor. The Retiarius whips the "heavy" with a net, either snagging a piece of armour, or even a weapon, while the Murmillo attempts to stab, slice and/or crush their smaller opponent.
- At this point a Dimachaerus, or two-weaponed fighter, may take on a range of opponents. A Greek wielding two gladius (the sword that Gladiators actually take their name after) may fight a "heavy" Murmillo, or Thracean even, or potentially a Retiarius or other gladiators called "Praegenarii" whose flashy and garish style are meant to "work the crowd up" into a bloodthirsty frenzy.
- A Thracian may take on another "heavy" such as a Murmillo, fighting with a Sica (curved sword) and small square shield and hacking at his formidable opponent, or fight the Retiarius as well, or he may even fight the Praegenarii in a two-on-one, as these fights weren’t always mean to be fair.
The crowd tends to favour those with a flair for showmanship and honour, combined with skill and deadly accuracy. A lumbering Murmillo will tend to fair quite poorly to a lightly-armoured and agile Retiarius, especially if the "pretty" one has the favour of the crowd.
An honourable battle, fought with skill and energy (with that showmanship, of course) may get a gladiator’s life spared, should he/she fall to their opponent, or it may gain a gladiator considerable honour in the arena.
And of course, no honour can compare to that which the All-on-all winner receives… The Wooden Sword of Freedom.
The Rudis, or wooden sword, is a practicing weapon of the gladiator so that they may train in killing without actually killing. It is a replica of the Gladius, the sword that they are named after and may die by, and so the wooden replica represents their freedom and ability to travel the lands of the Republic of Rome as a free man with rights and privilege.
The final battle of each show is fought for such a prize, and it is fought with much energy.
All on All, no quarter asked, and none given, it is an absolute bloodmatch.
It is this the crowd comes to see and it is this that they love, their cheers of adoration and bloodlust raining down upon the mighty warriors shoulders and ears.
You should come check it out. You know you want to.
Next show, July 18th 2010. It’s free and it’s awesome.