get carter

INFORMATION	CHARACTER	CHARACTER	INFORMATION
Right handed, flat shoes, armed with rapier.	TOM	DICK	Right handed, boots with one inch heel, restrictive tunic, armed with rapier.
Standing stage left with weapons drawn.			Off stage, right.
Dialogue "You stinking cur, I vomit in your mothers entrails ye toad!"
			Dialogue "What, say you...?" Enters downstage right, weapon drawn. "Oh mince eater of the north, have at you..."
Tom closes to within measure.
		C1	Passing onto his left foot.
	P 1
On the pass to the left leg	C2
		P2	Passing back onto the left foot.
		T2	On the lunge
Dialogue "oh, you bugger".	Semi-O P 2
ETC.	ETC.	ETC.	ETC

LINEAR FIGHT NOTATION

The linear system is based on the premise that each row in the table represents a moment of time, and that the columns in the chart represent the actions of each of the combatants at any given moment. As one character cuts in one moment the opposing combatant parries, or evades etc. in the next moment, and so on.

This can be shown basically below using dialogue as the action.

TOM	DICK
HELLO.
	HELLO
	HOW ARE YOU?
I'M FINE THANK YOU. HOW ARE YOU?
	NEVER BEEN BETTER. DID YOU SEE SARAH LAST NIGHT?

We can add to this by bringing actions in.

TOM	DICK
Tom enters USC, crosses to stage left.	Dick sits on the steps DSL, reading a book.
Dialogue "Hello?"
	Looks up, dialogue "Hello"
	after a moment of awkward silence, "How are you"
He smiles, "I'm fine thank you. How are you?"
	Dryly, "Never been better". He puts the book away and X's upstage centre. "Did you see Sarah last night?", waits a moment then exits USC.
Turns to audience and says, "Well, as a matter of fact..." He smiles and exits DSL.

So there is a simple section. Here is another scene, this time a fight. Here we have introduced two more columns in the centre. These are solely for the writing of offensive or defensive actions. The left side of the page is for George's actions and the right side for Gilmartin's. At the top of the outer columns, general information is listed about the actors themselves, the weapons they carry and the clothes they wear.

CONFESSIONS OF A JUSTIFIED SINNER - BRUNTON THEATRE COMPANY

RIGHT HANDED, BASKET HILT BROADSWORD,	GEORGE	GILMARTIN	LEFT HANDED, BASKET HILT BROADSWORD
Walks back in.			Stands on guard (3).
Passing on right	C4
			Jumps clear, as weapon swishes past.
The weight of the weapon carries him about, clockwise and upstage.
			Passes in as George turns and kicks backside with a push.
Thrown off balance by Gilmartin's kick. Ending DSL

SECTION TWO

Circles round upstage to original position stage right.			Circles round downstage to original position stage left.
Threatens in the high line with the point.
		T3	On lunge, to the low line.
	SEMI-O P2
Passes forward onto left leg.	Kicks sword hand
			Thrown off line and off balance by the kick.
ETC.	ETC.	ETC.	ETC.

So here we have introduced page numbers for each sheet in a fight. They all look the same, so beware. Also SECTIONS - It is worth splitting the fight into easily manageable sections. This way the actors can easily remember them and you can define different moods within the scene, in a quite technical manner.

THE SHORTHAND

SIMPLE PLAN OF THE STAGE

UPSTAGE RIGHT UPSTAGE CENTRE UPSTAGE LEFT

CENTRE RIGHT CENTRE STAGE CENTRE LEFT

DOWNSTAGE RIGHT DOWNSTAGE CENTRE DOWNSTAGE LEFT

Note that you are facing the audience! It is YOUR right and left we use!!!!!

OTHER SHORTHAND

NB Each FD will use different shorthand, and this is the most basic of mine, so if in doubt, ask.

WITH REGARD TO THE NUMBERS I OFTEN WILL QUALIFY THE MOVE BY NAMING AN EXACT TARGET e.g. Chest OR WRITE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE ATTACK IN THE INFORMATION SIDELINES.

C	A cut.
T	A thrust.
P	A simple parry.
Semi-O P	A semi circular parry. You can also use numbers. e.g. from 3 to 4.
O P	a/ Circular parry b/ Beware, can refer to the opposite prompt side (Stage right)
SS L	Sidestep left.
SS R	Sidestep right.
X	a/ Double fence parry utilising both weapons. b/ To cross from one part of the stage to another e.g. X DSL
1	The high inside line.
2	The low outside line
3	The high outside line
4	The low inside line
5	The high line
Dagger up	Parry with the dagger tip pointing up
Dagger down	Dagger with the tip pointing down