STAGE COMBAT POLICIES

With Thanks to Steve Wilsher (UPDATED August 2019)

Theatrical Combat Definition:

Any form of scripted or non-scripted acted aggression, which results in a physical or psychological act of violence.

This includes the use of any weapon, modern or historical: edged or blunt, metal or of any other construction, sword, dagger, knife, axe, pole arm, retractable blade,

Replica, reproduction, constructed, antique, modern, deactivated, military, civilian, theatrical, film, blank firing, non-firing representation of a firearm.

Long, re-curve, compound or cross bows.

Found or discovered weapons: Any items that can be used to cut, strike, bludgeon, stab, slash or inflict any form of physical injury.

Using any part of the human body as a weapon, in an unarmed singular or collection of choreographed or non-choreographed attacks and defenses.

Weapons of any kind must be supplied by the School or rented for a production by the School. No Student, Director, member of the Stage Management team my supply, loan, rent, or bring onto University property any form of weapon as designated above for use in a production.

Stunt Rigging or Performance.

A stunt is defined as: an unusual or difficult feat requiring great skill or

daring; especially: one performed or undertaken chiefly to gain attention or publicity – Webster.

This is primarily a term used in filmmaking. In the case of theatre there are no stunt coordinators or performers. All the work is undertaken by actors and is therefore actor action. It can include falling, flying or any physical act that would be considered to be outside the actor’s normal sphere of expertise. No individual should undertake such work without the proper training and without supervision by someone who is versed in such work.

Rigging for such work must be undertaken by a Stunt Coordinator; or Stunt Rigger, whose expertise is within the scope of the work required. These individuals are used to working with actors in such situations.

Technical Riggers are used to working with inanimate objects. Circus Riggers are used to working with highly trained, physical performers. Stunt Coordinators and Stunt Riggers are primarily actors themselves and can identify and accommodate an actors requirements.

Fight Performer/s

Actors who, through scripted action perform acted aggression toward other performers. These individual may be certified fight performers through several organizations worldwide.

Certification is not a pre-requisite to perform choreographed action.

Fight Captain

A company member designated by the Fight Director, to oversee daily combat rehearsals. This individual should be part of the company; either an actor or stage management can fulfill this role. Primary responsibilities are:

• Daily fight calls.
• Understudy fight calls.
• Choreography notation.
• Incident reports.

The Fight Captain cannot:

• Be an individual appointed from the student body. Add or change choreography.
• Replace weapons with untested or unapproved weapons and implements.

Fight Director

A highly specialized individual whose primary function and career has been based specifically in the construction of physical hazards and their safe implementation.

This individual must be a professional, who is employed to choreograph and oversee the overall safety of physical action.

This will include, both physical and psychologically violent manifestations of the scripted, improvised, requested word. No member of the company will take it upon themselves to choreograph, re-stage, improvise or in any way change the sequences directed by the Fight Director.

Fight Choreography

Rehearsal

Simple, or a complex series of movements, that simulate a physically violent action. Alternatively, a single physical manifestation of aggressive reaction toward, another individual, individuals, objects, scenery, properties, costume, etc.

Fight choreography shall be staged within the limitations of the performers.

Fight choreography shall be given ample rehearsal time, this to allow the performers to be comfortable within the required actions.

Fight choreography shall be rehearsed within a space adequate to the choreographic requirements.

Fight choreography shall be held with the required props, weapons, costume where available.

Performance

Fight choreography shall be walked through before each performance. Except when there is more than one performance per day. Fight walk through should be held before the first performance of the day only.

Fight choreography shall be performed at a speed required by the skill of the performers only.

Fight choreography shall be performed with the weapons, props, costume, scenery and properties established during rehearsal. Changes can be made only after adequate replacement rehearsal time has been observed. All changes are subject to Fight Director approval.

Fight Doctoring

The term Fight Doctoring refers to the practice of making someone else’s work safe. Should a fight sequence be choreographed by an individual who is not a fight director and,

after reflection and review, the work is deemed to be unsafe an experienced Fight Director is

called in to rework parts of the fight choreography. This practice is not and cannot be condoned from a health and safety standpoint.

Stage Management

A member of the stage management team must be present at all rehearsals.

A member of the stage management team must be present at all fight calls, prior to performance.

A designated member of the stage management team must be present at all performances.

A designated member of the stage management team is to be responsible for the maintenance and care of all weapons and action props.

A member of the stage management team will be responsible for all matters that are legally required for the use and storage of any form of weapons.

Accidents

Minor accidents will immediately require the administration of first aid by a suitably qualified individual.

Major accidents are to be immediately reported to the relevant emergency services. All accidents, no matter of severity will require the completion of an accident report.

The Stage Manager is responsible for the collation of information for inclusion in any accident report.

There are to be no exceptions. The report will become part of the daily rehearsal or show report.

Incident Reports and/or Complaints

All incidents that can be conceived as ‘spur of the moment’ actions must be recorded; unauthorized choreographic changes, physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual abuse, etc.

Incident reports must be made in writing as soon as possible after the event. These reports will become part of the rehearsal or show report. They must record date, time, and description of incident, names of the individuals in question, names of witnesses. The Stage Manager is responsible for the collation of the written statements and holds them on file in the rehearsal or show report. Copies are to be forwarded to the following members of the artistic team at the earliest opportunity.

• Director.
• Fight Director.
• Producer.

All incidents, no matter how trivial, require the completion of an incident report. There are to be no exceptions. The report will become part of the daily rehearsal or show report.

N.B. – If certain cases are deemed to be illegal or beyond the scope of the artistic team – the relevant authorities will be informed and copies of the incident reports will be made available to them.

Rehearsal / Performance

All performers, stage management teams and artistic teams must understand that the recreation of a violent act onstage is a performance skill that requires adequate rehearsal. The acted aggression is never to result in the actual purposeful physical or mental harm by choice, uncontrolled, unrehearsed action or deviation from said rehearsal.

All stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be made aware that all rehearsals requiring acted aggression, physical attack with or without weapons are to staged or choreographed by an established and suitably Fight Director.

All stage management teams, stage crews and artistic teams must be made aware that stage combat or dangerous actions cannot be choreographed or directed by persons holding a Fight Performance Certification only. This certification from stage combat organizations, are only awarded for performance techniques.

Individual, Pair or Grouped Rehearsals

When rehearsing outside of a scheduled production rehearsal, when no overall Director, and no Stage Management is present the following shall be adhered to:

All choreographed movement shall be rehearsed at a pace where all safety protocols can be ensured. The speed of the fight choreography shall be no more than at a walking pace.

In the case of routine using any form of weaponry. The routine will be rehearsed without props of any form.

Prior to rehearsal, the individual or individuals must inform the Fight Director, Stage Manager or member of the acting Faculty that they intend to rehearse fight or action sequences.

Should injury occur, accident reports must be made in the first case verbally and followed by a written reported to the Fight Director, Stage Manager or member of the Acting Faculty.