Stage Combat (BASSC): The Unicorn

Rob Myles: Rob is the principal instructor and fight director for Stage Fight Scotland. He is a multi-award-winning director, actor, and writer, and a Certified Teacher with the British Academy of Stage & Screen Combat. He regularly teaches at the Royal Conservatoire Scotland and has taught at East 15 and NYU London, as well as being a guest practitioner for Harvard University, University of West of Scotland, Kings College London and more. As a fight director, Rob has created a wide range of fights across genres and eras for both stage and screen, most recently Macbeth and Peter Pan for Reconnect Theatres, Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four for Blackeyed Theatre and Sus at the Park Theatre. As a stage combatant, Rob has worked for major institutions including National Geographic, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Royal Opera House.

Zhenya Leverett: Zhenya was classically trained as an actress in Russia and worked in theatre and film in Moscow before moving to the UK in 2015. In London, she qualified as a teacher with The British Academy of Stage & Screen Combat and now teaches sword fighting and unarmed combat at RADA, Royal Central and YATI. She is a fight coordinator (IDFIGHT) and has choreographed fights for a number of theatre productions, including Cinderella (English Touring Opera), La Liberazione Di Ruggiero (Longborough Festival Opera), Ben Hur (Abbey Theatre), Prize Fights (RADA), Light Shining in Buckinghamshire (Young Actors Theatre Islington). Zhenya is an action performer (BAFTA-winning TV series Killing Eve) and works professionally as an actress at the Xameleon Theatre in London.

There are no entry requirements for this course.

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.

We ask that students be open, respectful and willing to participate in discussion and practical activities.

If you have any questions about this class or the support we can offer, please get in touch with us at shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk

• Please come ready for practical work, dressed in comfortable clothing suitable for movement.
  
• Bring a note pad and pencil in case you wish to make notes.
• Please bring a bottle of water to keep hydrated during the course. Refilling stations are available throughout the building.
• Please bring food and/or snacks for the day as there are limited facilities by Wallace Studios.

Indicative Schedule

9:00-9:15 – Registration

9:15-10:45 – Film Fighting Fundamentals: The Punch

11:00-12:30 – Flamboyant Rapier & Cloak: Tricks, Flair, and Functionality

13:30-15:00 – Fights From The Movies: The Princess Bride

15:30-17:00 – Main Character Energy: Fighting Multiple Opponents