Preparing For
Shows
Part 1:
Gear And Costume.
by Reyn Adsett with thanks to many Living History websites.
Firstly,
Newbies, Look on the Phoenix Members web pages for the beginners
how-to guides!
Displays
are about education, entertainment and
showing off your best outfit. Good costume and precious swords come out of
the closet and actually get used. But when you first start attending
displays you need to worry more about having a complete outfit then pretty
toys.
As
you start out you will have to make, beg and borrow most of your starting
equipment, or be content with fraying hand-me downs from generous Lords &
Ladies. You probably won’t have much of an idea about your persona at your
first show. Don’t worry, most of us didn’t either.
During
your first few shows you should look around the various camps & talk to
people so you can develop an understanding of where Company of the Phoenix
fits into the living history groups and where you may fit in with us.
Start
to think about a starting persona. That is “Who you are, where you’re from &
what you do”. This is only a start and you can change it as often as you
like, as long as you do all the research to support it. Let it ferment in
your head for the weekend, maybe even a few weeks.
There
may be different equipment needed for different “events” in the camp during
shows. Fighters should know what gear is appropriate for fights, and what
isn’t appropriate for around the feast table.. The same idea works for
merchants & archers. It’s no use having an expensive sword when you don’t
have a shirt to go with it, or room to use it at the dinner table..
So
what is the basic gear for displays? I’m glad you asked.
Here
is a
basic list of gear you
should have for your first shows.
This
is the generic 14th/15th century gear that in a ideal world everybody would
own and have had certified before the show.
Preparing
for Shows
A basic costume;
Boys - tunic, coat, pants, cap.
Girls - dress, under dress, hat.
Shoes, cabochon, belt, purse/pouch,
Hidden in a tent is all the other
usual camping gear if you’re staying overnight; sleeping bag/blankets,
pillow, breath mints, coffee mug
Your own Eating Gear;
Wooden bowl, spoon & plate & cup (wood or iron. Silver of you’re a toff),
Small knife.
Your own Stool;
Waxed/Painted and in good repair.
At
this level of gear you are a useful peasant and actually get to join in
around the village and in the performance.
If
you don’t have this minimum you can’t be seen in public & will be tied up
inside the tavern tent for the weekend. Last year, being in this gear would
let you be a villager in the play, where you would run out, get hit, take a
screaming dive and leave a good looking corpse.
To
actually look good and try to get a bigger part in shows like individuals or
special roles you need to improve on this level of gear. You should also be
working toward merchant, archer or Lord/Lady with some extra bits and pieces
of costume and gear.
Everything
you see belongs to someone, mainly members.
Only a little bit is group stuff.
Treat it with respect. Almost everything is hand made and takes
PRECIOUS time to make, or countless hours to track down in op shops. If
you don’t know who’s it is, ASK, or look for a name engraved on the
underside. DO NOT JUST TAKE IT. Someone may be looking for it where
they left it.
Do Not
leave stuff laying around where Joe Public will pick it up and wander off.
Some equipment belonging to a member was found in another encampment and
returned by their members on Sunday night of BMF this year.
Just
because the group can use it does not mean the group owns it. Many senior
members loan their accumulated assets to help cover group deficiencies.
Respect that at least, or a forfeit may be found.
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Preparing for Shows
