Show Fighting:

The Audience:

Showfighting is for the spectators. It is about communication and entertainment; a theatrical event that must be presented to an audience, who can be a few kindergarten children, expert fencers or a vast crowd. The show has to suit the area, time and the sort of people watching.

Fighting:

ASK are by no means all superb actors, so we have to exploit what we are good at; moving with weapons, taking and receiving blows. Things have to be slowed down. Blows are exaggerated. There is a lot of clashing weapons, smashing shields, shouting and kicking.

The fighters do not compete so much as cooperate. They must allow each other room to develop distinct and contrasting characters, to move, speak, attack and stagger back. This has been called exchanging gifts.

A showfight is not choreographed to the last detail. Stunts may be woven into combat, but movement is free action and reaction. A show may contain an element of Freestyle We have even fought in almost complete darkness.

When someone suffers a mighty blow they must react. Generally the enemy takes this opportunity to go for a spectacular and bloody kill, and the loser ends up lying on the ground.

Theater:

Many of the basic principles of theater can be applied to a show. A good show is a story, with a beginning, middle and end. The participants must be aware of position and direction. Fighters may be presented by someone who can better communicate with an audience.

Props:

Shields can be destroyed in a showfight. This only adds to the realism.
We have used replica Viking ships in our shows, fireballs from a catapult, horses, Viking chests, drinking horns and a huge variety of other equipment that we own or can borrow.
Fake blood and tooth fragments are usually too small to be noticable.

Films:

Unlike a live show, a filmed fight can be built up from a number of smaller sequences, filmed at different times and / or from different angles. Fighting is much more tightly choreographed. There is often a lot of waiting around.

The Ulfhednir site has more detailed articles on this subject.