Macleans College students take part in stage combat workshop

Posted on September 15, 2023

Swords and foils were drawn at the stage combat workshop run for students who participated in this year’s Shakespeare Festival.

The workshop was won for the school by Year 12 student Damien Hollins (Hillary House), who choreographed a gripping fight scene for his ‘Romeo and Juliet’ entry to the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand (SGCNZ) University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival.

Alexander Holloway, from the New Zealand Stage and Screen Combat School, taught the students how to engage in safe but convincing stage combat. The workshop included instruction in stunt combat and weapons training as well as taking students through the processes involved in on-screen fight scenes.

Alexander’s experience includes training actors at the Pop-Up Globe and Royal Opera House as well as performing in The Lord of the Rings TV series. The Macleans College students are now thinking of ways in which they might incorporate the skills they’ve learnt into their 2024 Shakespeare Festival entries.

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