Swashbuckling: A Step-By-Step Guide to the Art of Stage Combat and Theatrical Swordplay

Rating:
Summary: A HIGHLY USEFUL VOLUME !
Review: "SWASHBUCKLING" is a well thought out, easy to understand book (lots of clear, step-by-step pictures help). Anyone interested in theatrically-oriented swordplay should buy a copy. As the author of "The Art and Science of Fencing," "The Inner Game of Fencing," "The Encyclopedia of the Sword;" and the editor-in-chief of "Fencers Quarterly Magazine," I recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction to stage combat.
Review: An excellent book for people interested in stage combat, or beginning students who are just getting involved. It's based on the SAFD methods, and covers the basics of unarmed, single rapier, some rapier & dagger, and broadsword. There's just enough background history to explain where everything's coming from, but without making your head spin from too much information. Excellent warm up and stretching routines, some single person kata like forms for the various weapons, and plenty of excellent photographs.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction to stage combat.
Review: An excellent book for people interested in stage combat, or beginning students who are just getting involved. It's based on the SAFD methods, and covers the basics of unarmed, single rapier, some rapier & dagger, and broadsword. There's just enough background history to explain where everything's coming from, but without making your head spin from too much information. Excellent warm up and stretching routines, some single person kata like forms for the various weapons, and plenty of excellent photographs.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent reference for stage-combat techniques
Review: As a beginner in the stage-combat area, I found Richards book excellent as it covers all the areas I needed to know about from historical information, to warmup exercises thru to sword and unarmed techniques. It can never replace a qualified teacher, but it certainly makes for a good foundation. A must for anyone starting off in stage-combat, and also a necessary addition to any actors library.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent place to start
Review: As an active stage combatant and member of a fight-based comedy show, I found Lane's book exceedingly easy to read, concise in explainations, and enjoyable. After a number of years in this business it is possible to develop a devil-may-care attitude to "basics" books, yet I found numerous points in this book where I reconsidered and/or restructured my thinking. I have incorporated many of his fine warm-ups into my work, both for myself and for instructing others. When asked what single book a beginning combatant should purchase, this is the one I always suggest.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent place to start
Review: As an active stage combatant and member of a fight-based comedy show, I found Lane's book exceedingly easy to read, concise in explainations, and enjoyable. After a number of years in this business it is possible to develop a devil-may-care attitude to "basics" books, yet I found numerous points in this book where I reconsidered and/or restructured my thinking. I have incorporated many of his fine warm-ups into my work, both for myself and for instructing others. When asked what single book a beginning combatant should purchase, this is the one I always suggest.

Rating:
Summary: Very Helpful!
Review: I am an SAFD actor/combatant and have just recently purchased this book. Even if your a beginner or an experienced combatant, Richard Lane's book is sure to help. Easy and interesting to read, this book give great step by step forms to practice on your own (rapier, broadsword, and some hand to hand), as well warm-up techniques, stretching and guidelines for working with others. A great book. Anyone interested in stage combat (especially rapier) should own this book!

Rating:
Summary: Very Helpful!
Review: I am an SAFD actor/combatant and have just recently purchased this book. Even if your a beginner or an experienced combatant, Richard Lane's book is sure to help. Easy and interesting to read, this book give great step by step forms to practice on your own (rapier, broadsword, and some hand to hand), as well warm-up techniques, stretching and guidelines for working with others. A great book. Anyone interested in stage combat (especially rapier) should own this book!

Rating:
Summary: A good solid Shotgun approach to the basics
Review: I have been performing and choreographing staged combat for about tewlve years now and have read several books on the subject. For a beginner this is definately the best place to start. Mr. Lane does skimp on the hand fighting to focus on single sword techniques, and presents as fact a few professional judgements with which I would disagree. The amount of space devoted to the katas seems to be filler. These are all minor points. The book is a good solid base to start from and all fight directors should have it in their library, and all beginners should consider reading it.

Rating:
Summary: A good solid Shotgun approach to the basics
Review: I have been performing and choreographing staged combat for about tewlve years now and have read several books on the subject. For a beginner this is definately the best place to start. Mr. Lane does skimp on the hand fighting to focus on single sword techniques, and presents as fact a few professional judgements with which I would disagree. The amount of space devoted to the katas seems to be filler. These are all minor points. The book is a good solid base to start from and all fight directors should have it in their library, and all beginners should consider reading it.