Stage Combat
Stage Combat
The techniques used in the dramatic arts to create an appearance of combat are known by the term Stage Combat. Such techniques are used in cinema, television, plays, ballets and other dance performances, among others. The aim is to make the audience believe in the combat while no harm comes to the performers. While closely related stunts they constitute an essential part of acting. Most trained actors have studied this as a subject.
History Mimicking of combat was part of most dramatic and dance traditions from ancient times. European dramatists have used techniques similar to modern Stage combat since Renaissance period. This was especially true in Italy. Shakespeare and other Elizabethan dramatists probably used a high degree of Stage combat given the number of sword fights etc, which takes place on their comparatively violent plays. In Asia stylized combat is part of many performing arts in many countries including Japanese Kabuki dramas, Chinese operas, and Indian plays.
During nineteenth and twentieth century several European marital artist and fencing masters began to revive some traditional fencing and other weapon fighting techniques. When these were passed on to the actors, Stage combat was freed from the confines of few generic routines practiced until then. By the end of twentieth century Stage combat has become a fully developed discipline that combines wresting, fencing, miming, eastern martial arts, and others.
However that did not mean the evolution of Stage combat has stopped. Rather the constant need to satisfy ever higher audience expectations means that standards, complexity, realism, and sophistication, of Stage combat techniques are increasing dramatically.
Techniques Stage combat techniques include illusionary punching, slapping, kicking, throwing, and holding, techniques among others. There is also an extensive repertoire of fencing techniques involving rapiers, daggers, and various other kinds of swords. There is of course huge number of martial art techniques adopted for Stage combat in martial arts films produced in Asia. Fight choreographers will also make up new techniques for both armed and unarmed combat according to the requirements of the performance, ability of the performer, and safety concerns. Most of these techniques were drawn from actual martial arts of various origins.
Safety is of paramount concern when these techniques are used. The main modifications to original martial art techniques are done mainly with this mind. To successfully and safely perform stage combat, a lot of rehearsals, excellent communications between the actors, and considerable skill on the part of the fight choreographer, is essential. Fight Choreography is usually first rehearsed slowly step by step. The speed is then increased progressively until it reaches performance speed.
Reality and disbelief In addition to ensuring safety, Stage combat performs another important function. Audience when entering a theatre suspends disbelief. They are there to be fooled if you will. However if they think the performer is actually subjected to some ill treatment (say by an actual slap) they may start to worry about the actor and not about the character depicted by him or her. In other words existence of stage combat allows the audience to suspend their disbelief without worrying.
Whether fight scenes in movies or other performances should appear real is decided by the director. While some directors prefer realistic combat scenes, others take a different attitude. In modern films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for instance, directors have consciously included unrealistic action sequences for aesthetic purposes and effect. Some others combine fantasy and reality, especially in science fiction films with action sequences.