Fight Club (18+)

THIS BLOCK:

 Week 1 Fundamentals: Knife

Learn how to dish out and deal with cuts, thrusts and slashes with the world’s most available weapon.

Week 2: Film Fights: Troy

Learn a phrase of choreography from this classic movie fight and understand what it takes to perform intention, stakes and character.

Week 3: Exploration: Fighting in Constant Contact

What is it like to tell the story of a wrestle for control with an opponent, fighting to create opportunities to do damage while protecting yourself?

Week 4: Stage Fights: Romeo & Juliet

Suit the action to the word with Rapier and Dagger – English vs Italian style as Mercutio takes on Tybalt.

This is suitable for all levels.

Stage Combat is a highly physical activity. Students should have a good level of fitness and be prepared to be active throughout the day. Stage Combat choreography is accessible for all bodies, although students should consider their ability to sustain intensive physical exercise.

Stage Combat relies on students being committed to following safe working practices. Teaching staff consistently monitor safety in class, and failure to adhere to the safety protocols will result in students being removed from the course. 

Students should be open, honest, generous, respectful, hard-working and willing to work in partnership with others as a collaborator.

• Plan and prepare to attend all classes
• Communicate any access needs in advance
• Dress comfortably in clothes which are suitable for the activity you are taking part in
• Please bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated during your class and snacks to keep energy high
• Bring protective clothing – gloves at a minimum, knee or elbow pads if you use them

Comfortable hard-wearing gloves with grip – these can be leather, or cotton as long as they have some kind of rubberized grip. Gardening gloves are common and readily accessible. Best to go breathable and lightweight.

Dr. Rob Myles is a multi-award-winning director, actor and teaching artist. A Certified Teacher with the British Academy of Stage & Screen Combat, Rob is the resident stage combat instructor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and a fight director for regional theatre and independent film. Rob is a Shakespeare specialist, creator of Original Parallels, The Shakespeare Deck, Illuminated Text, The Show Must Go Online, and the Owning Shakespeare Podcast. Previously, Rob has played over 30 Shakespearean roles in off-west-end and regional touring productions. His book, Innovation & Digital Theatremaking (Routledge), is available now. After winning The Big Idea Award at The Stage Future of Theatre Conference in 2025, Rob is actively developing the National Repertory Network (nationalrepertorynetwork.com) to create a more stable and optimistic future for theatre in every region of the UK.