Dizzy Dandelion: Sparring

Tuesday, May 29

Sparring

On a whim, I decided to audition with my friend Allyson for The Three Musketeers. As luck would have it, we were both asked to learn a little fencing choreography!

Neither of us had fenced before, but our friend Justin was the choreographer, and was patient with us. I'm proud to say I learned my stuff right-handed, and even got to be the aggressor in the routine -- haha! Probably the only time in my life I'll get to be Milady de Winter.

I should mention that Justin and Allyson were both in my cast for The Importance of Being Earnest -- Allyson was my Cecily, and Justin was our Algernon. Being our first fencing experience, Allyson and I started off really stiff and nervous. We flailed about with enthusiasm and terror, worried we were actually going to hurt one another. Justin gave us the choreography in chunks and was very encouraging -- I think everyone should learn to fence while surrounded by friends!

After a little bit, Justin needed to go inside for some reason... and that's when Allyson suggested it might be funny if we did some of the lines from the "Tea Scene" in Earnest while fighting. We felt silly at first, but gave it a shot anyway.

"Mr. Ernest Worthing and I are engaged to be married!"

"My darling Cecily," Swing and miss. "I think there must be some slight error." Jab. "Mr. Ernest Worthing is engaged to me." Swing over the head and go at her right. "The announcement will appear in the Morning Post on Saturday at the latest."

"...Since Ernest proposed to you, he has CLEARLY changed his mind!" Comes at me from above, I block, and we grapple.

"If the poor fellow has been entrapped into any foolish promise, I shall consider it my duty to rescue him at once," kick her off; she falls to the ground, I point my sword at her throat. "And with a firm hand."

Justin came back and asked incredulously, "Are you quoting the Tea Scene?!"

We laughed and said Yes, and he shook his head and replied, "Well, it seems to be working, 'cause you're a LOT less stiff than you were when I left!"

I wasn't cast in the play, but Allyson was. I can't wait to see her fight for real, and I take pride in the fact that we helped each other do and look our best. All callbacks should be that fun!