Slapstick hand-to-hand 101: the person who is "being attacked" is always the one controlling the action. Do not start until eye contact is established, the attacker stands slightly downstage and stops at least 12" from the person being attacked. For an ear grab (very popular attack in Medieval plays) the person being attacked grabs the incoming (now closed) hand and brings it to their ear then jumps around as if being pulled, being careful not to pull the attackers arm. The attacker relaxes their arm. For a slap, the slap passes 12" or more from the person being attacked, the person being attacked swings their face the same direction as the swing of the slap and uses the audience attention on the movement to clap their hands down low and preferably blocked from view somewhat by the positioning of the attacker. Blackjack is trickier as the attacker is behind you - they reach back dramatically to hit you with a bag or sock that only has stuffing in it, and as they bring it forward, they touch your back so you can reach on a given count or feel the light touch of the stuffing bag. Better is if the person being attacked has a sack of washers on the upstage side of their belt and hits it on a given count from the touch, which often surprises the audience so much they wince.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 03:44:43 +0000
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