Living History as Performance Art

[Spinster]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

Part of what we are talking about here is 'habit'.

The more you do this, the easier is it is to kick over into Then. For folks who do not get to do this often, it does take a while to shift gears, and those who do longer events often mention the Day Three effect.

For a number of years, Sister and I were in the field at least two weekends a month, alternating between an 1812 cabin and a 1740 French fort. We drove in already dressed, walked into our furnished quarters with household goods in place and a fire already laid and often lit, made up a fresh bed, and lit the lamps. This habit made the transition easy, even though the task was primarily public interpretation.

Each needs to discover what method speeds the transition for them---and that knowledge leads to excellence and consistency.

[flattop32355]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

Kinda makes "semi-immerson" an interesting concept....When is one immersed, and when is one not?

[MissMia]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

Kinda makes "semi-immerson" an interesting concept....When is one immersed, and when is one not?

That's a good point.
when I'm at 'mainstream' events, attempting to be do an authentic impression, I find myself switching gears as people will approach and ask complicated modern questions:sarcastic...you're not able to be as 'immersed' as you'd like..

[guad42]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

Many good points already made here, so this is mostly opinion on my part.

In my youth I was trained for television & film acting, and did some of that work until my early 20s; appearing in some shows and films, before I transitioned into producing. There is of course a lot to be said about acting, and what makes good acting and actors, but in my own experience, and from the opportunities that I had to meet and work with some very interesting folks, I was able to learn a little bit about character.

So-called "method acting" has many definitions, and numerous acting coaches and directors have weighed in on it in books and classes since the 1950s. But "character" and "choices" have always seemed like the most important ingredients. Most actors bring a bit of themselves to any role, they apply the experiences of their own lives and the emotions involved - the same should apply to reenactors/living historians who pursue serious attempts at first person. Like the lady in one of the posts said, if I am not normally a chatty person, why should I be at a reenactment. Well, the short answer is that unless your taking on the guise of someone who was naturally very chatty, than compulsory chit chat does nothing for the role you yourself have created for the event/impression. You may not be a soldier in real life, or a shop keep, or a plantation owner, I dare say you've never been held in bondage, built railroads, dug for Gold, sailed around the Horn, or been a General or a card cheat - but you've had experiences in life; happiness, tragedy, ups and downs, love and anger, all things that you can apply to your unscripted weekend or LH event persona. In this, your most important asset is yourself. Even if your impression/persona is so far removed from your own life, there should be personal things your can bring to the table to inform your "choices"; the things you say, the motivation for your actions, reactions to others, etc etc.

Script: And I expect to be flogged for this by some, so forgive me ahead of time. I am not the best reenactor/living historian - some challenges faced in my own life of the last couple years, work, family, etc. have kept me from the field too long. But I will say this. I meet some fine folks who go to admirable lengths for their impressions, clothing, weapons, and material details, and even fashion a fairly good "character" but many of them do not crack a book any more. Or if they do, its very specific or esoteric. This is good. This is the research. It's vital. But many of them have ever read, or no longer read, battle books, broad or overview histories, biographies, you know the BIG stuff that many of us shirk as time goes on. When I was young an acting coach told me that even if I have one line, and I think that I've asked all the questions about who this person is, where they're from, what they wear, and how they feel, if I don't read the whole script than none of that has any context. I need to know how my character fits in the story.

Just my own opinion.

-Sam Dolan

[LindaTrent]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

Kinda makes "semi-immerson" an interesting concept....When is one immersed, and when is one not?

As far as immersion and semi-immersion, I don't think they really are two different things. Looking at it from a religious aspect, if one believes in immersion then the entire being must go under. I remember at my own baptism my hair floated to the surface and I had to be reimmersed, it was either all or nothing. One was either immersed or they weren't immersed, there was no middle ground.

I don't believe there's ever really been a definitive definition of the term semi-immersion, but to me it's always been an event with a less pristine location than an immersion event. Thus whether immersion or semi-immersion the person is always immersed. Did that make sense? :wink_smil

Linda.

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

Linda, I also add in those events that have a full-time, first-person component (reenactor to reenactor), as well as a docent/patron component, where a few people are the go-betweens for those visiting a site, and those immersed in the scenario full-time.

I'm really enjoying this discussion... Hank, I do see huge aspects of "performance art" in reenactment. I'd never really thought of it in those terms.

[barnfolk]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

I have enjoyed reading this thread and appreciate the thoughtfulness of the many contributors. I have been out of the hobby since the 125th. A few years ago I got a hankering to get back involved. I discovered this forum and through it all of the extensive research that has raised the quality of the hobby tremendously since I was last involved. So I found a reputable local organization that was willing to loan me the equipment to attend an event. It was not an EBUFU or immersion type event, but I was appalled to find that while the quality of the material culture was light years ahead of what I had known, it only served to make the poor quality of the "performance art" aspect more jarring. I have not been involved since. Why spend all that time annd money to research a good impression only to have it devalued be someone who can't stop talking about the modern era.

I bring this story up because earlier in this thread there was a discussion there was a discussion about adopting a common set of guidelines about what is "backstage vs. onstage vs. cast party", and I couldn't agree more. I know that there are some of you who will say nothing short of all immersion all the time, but in the interest of setting some benchmarks that are attainable on a broad scale, I would like to suggest the following for typical weekend event:
1) Why not create a space on the first evening where comrades can catch up on their modern families, careers, etc.--a "cast party", so that. . .
2) When the musicians sound their calls to start the next day it is all 186x
3)Throughout the rest of the event we adopt the expression "if you cant say something period, don't say anything at all". This is easier for many than trying to come up with a period conversation.
4)Plan ahead. One letter or accurate newspaper can easily provide a weekends worth of conversation fodder for messmates. Talk about how you got it, read it aloud, speculate about what's between the lines, tell other stories about the people mentioned, talk about what you should write back, etc, etc.
5) Start easing into "backstage" mode after the order to strike camp for the weekend. This is where it's proper to talk about the event, the next event, your gear, etc.

I think that another metaphor, other than the stage, for this move in reenacting is the "leave no trace" movement among outdoors people. Essentially, don't do or say anything that undermines the experience for someone else. It's more authentic and more polite.

Sorry for the rant. (Moderators please remove if inappropriate)
Yours,

Andy Barnett

[Hank Trent]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

It was not an EBUFU or immersion type event, but I was appalled to find that while the quality of the material culture was light years ahead of what I had known, it only served to make the poor quality of the "performance art" aspect more jarring. I have not been involved since. Why spend all that time annd money to research a good impression only to have it devalued be someone who can't stop talking about the modern era.

Exactly. It's taken me years to find the right places at the right events, to find people who appreciate this kind of thing. Sometimes it really all does come together, like Bernie described a few posts above, and I'd say that at the majority of events I go to these days, I can have that kind of experience for most of the event. If you're looking for that kind of thing and willing to travel, I can suggest some possibilities for events and roles, but they're all around the country (Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee). Since I'm from Ohio, needless to say, I've found it necessary to travel too, and not just choose the event, but choose the right role at any given event. Email me, or we can talk about it in this thread.

I know that there are some of you who will say nothing short of all immersion all the time, but in the interest of setting some benchmarks that are attainable on a broad scale, I would like to suggest the following for typical weekend event:

In my experience, rules like that are only as good as the people who make them and enforce them. I've been to events with those rules where they're immediately and obviously violated the whole weekend. I've been to other events where a few people got together to exceed the rules and managed to accomplish something wonderful (in my opinion), regardless of what others were doing. I've been to other events where those rules, or even more strict ones, were in place and were, for the most part, followed in order to make an incredibly good event overall. But if people don't enjoy accuracy, they'll find ways to be farby, regardless of the rules.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Bill Cross]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

I remember my feelings at War on the James, (an event that will forever live in my mind as the greatest reenactment of all-time, and can never be equaled or excelled).

Wow, that made my day.

It was an unusual event, I will grant you that. We thought there was no limit to what we could do with good people. Chris Anders knew I could raise troops, but he gave me carte blanche to do whatever I thought could be done, and so I took chances like crazy, including a "dead company" of the KIA and wounded from Saturday's spectator battle who returned to the Union side after dark as a replacement company from another regiment. On the civilian side, I asked the Trents to take care of it-- "make it so," as Capt. Picard would say, and gave them carte blanche. That's because I trusted their integrity and knew they would have the interests of the event and its participants in mind, not politics or self-aggrandizement. See, I've always believed that good civilians enhance the experience of military living historians because the war was largely what you did until you got into combat and then what you did after that if you weren't killed or wounded. So those who say civilians "get in the way" of the military, well, duh! That's what REAL civilians did.

The Trents assembled a good group of people who leaped into their roles-- some would say a crazy bunch of loonies who lived in an alternate reality. Come to think of it, several of the women portrayed mental patients who had escaped from the nearby institution when their guards skeedadled at the approaching blue coats. Because these folk lived their roles continuously, the immersion didn't last MOST of the day, it lasted all day and often into the night. Pickets would bring in civilians who might be legitimate refugees or Home Guard. For me it was a surreal experience because I was supposed to deal with the civilians, so my days were busy as can be. Did Linda Trent really have some disease, or was she faking? I had to deal with the situation in period terms-- I couldn't just shoot her, we weren't the SS.

I don't know if the event could be recreated. Before he died, Duke and I tried to recapture some of the magic of War on the James, and almost did so with "Road to Goldsboro." I smiled when the organizers of "Bummers" stole a few of our ideas, the same way I stole the "dead company" from Pickett's Mill. Chris and I have talked about a second War on the James event, but land remains the problem, he's busy, I'm probably too old and bored with hobby politics to do the work needed to recreate that magic. And we don't have some of the people who made it happen, including the late Don Hubbard.

But for all those who worked hard on that event (in alphabetical order) Chris Anders, the late Duke Culberson, Don Harrelson, Fran Kiger Sr. & Jr., the Trents, y'all have my thanks. If I left someone out, it's just a senior moment.

Anyone who has not had this experience doesn't know what they're missing.

Amen, Mrs. Trent.

[LindaTrent]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

Hi Bill,

We thought there was no limit to what we could do with good people.

I think the equation is actually "great attitude + like-mindedness = the 'then experience.'"

You know, one of the things that made WOTJ superior was the attitude that our little group came into it with. None of us knew each other in the modern world (more than a few hours), and yet we all studied and worked together to make a cohesive nineteenth century group of family and friends, and when we all got together at the event the experience just happened.

While an event may be good, and may be able to provide an immersive-type experience (for those who wish to take advantage of it) -- the true immersion type experience comes from the heart and soul of the participants. Immersion is just a type of event, an immersionist is one who immerses themselves into the past. And the "experience" is what an immersionist gets at an immersion event or a carpe' eventum! A person can attend an immersion event and not be an immersionist, and thus not have the same experience, which accounts for why some AARs are entirely different than others.

As far as the ladies who escaped the assylum in Williamsburg, they were not part of our group. In fact, one of the things that Laura Harding (civilian organizer) did was keep the civilians in the dark about who other groups were, that way when we met each other in the field we'd have to use our wits to figure out if they were friend or foe. Those ladies did an outstanding job in their portrayal, and their research.

Linda.

[Bill Cross]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

I think the equation is actually "great attitude + like-mindedness = the 'then experience.'"

I think you're generally right, though I think you can build a great event around a core of experienced people as long as everyone "buys in" to the concept, which is what happened with WoTJ. Some of that comes from trusting the people in charge. I attended an event recently whose organizers had a reputation for putting the event ahead of the participants' safety, and some fellers that would've been a real asset in the ranks chose not to attend. Because you and I have worked together in the past, I don't think either would have any problems agreeing to work on something simply from a verbal handshake. When Duke and I were trying to get "Road to Goldsboro" going, I recall your saying you'd bring some good civilians despite neither of us having much idea what the land would allow.

There is a friendship basis for that trust because we've known each other a long time, but it's also a confidence that neither would "sing the wrong note," if you get my meaning. It applies to your husband, too: when Hank showed up in our camp at "Bummers" with Amos Reynolds portraying escapees from Andersonville, I knew the event had taken a step up in quality, and sure enough, both of them enhanced the richness of the immersion, both for myself and the members of my company.

While I suspect you're right that WotJ can't be recreated, I still wish there was some way to jump start another version of it. Have I ever told you about "War on the Chickahominy"? :wink_smil

[Bill]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

Very interesting thread. The "War on the James" was my first attempt at maintaining a first person impression for the course of the event. (As a member of the "Dead Company", there was a short break in first person on Saturday afternoon.) I envy those of you who seem to drop naturally into the roles you play. In my case, doing first person is like speaking a foreign language. I have to translate everything back and forth into the modern before I speak. I do feel that longer events make it easier to stay in first person. At the "Winter '64" event, we maintained a pretty relaxed standard for first person inside the "Cooler Hut", but I found that by the end of the event, the vast majority of the conversation would have been appropriate to the period.

I get a little uncomfortable around people who are really good at doing first person impressions. I'm always afraid I'm going to say something wrong and pee in their punch bowl. I wonder if other people have the same issues?

[LindaTrent]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

I get a little uncomfortable around people who are really good at doing first person impressions. I'm always afraid I'm going to say something wrong and pee in their punch bowl. I wonder if other people have the same issues?

Hey, we all make mistakes. I'd rather have someone try to be in character and make a mistake than be around people who are only half-hearted at best. I remember at Marmaduke's Raid we were sitting around talking about breeding cattle, we got to talking about pure white shorthorns (something I know too much about in my modern life), and I accidently said, "DNA." Time seemed to stop at that point as everyone stared at me. I just kept going back on topic. It's the curse of being born in a century where you know more than they did. :sarcastic

Accidents do happen. I just appreciate those who try to make the effort. :wink_smil

Linda.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

I get a little uncomfortable around people who are really good at doing first person impressions. I'm always afraid I'm going to say something wrong and pee in their punch bowl. I wonder if other people have the same issues?

If someone either doesn't enjoy watching/experiencing a time-travel experience or doesn't want to contribute to it, on one level I'd rather they did stay away. It avoids the "chased around the event site by farbs" experience I mentioned in a post above in this thread.

But on another level, I find reenactors who have the attitude of "we'll do you a favor and leave you alone so as not to spoil your experience" very annoying, as if they think they're doing me some kind of favor when they're really giving a back-handed slap. It would be like a conference inviting a speaker to give a presentation, but then saying, "We'll schedule you a time and let you speak just like everyone else, but I don't think we're a good enough audience, so we'll all stay away and let you speak to an empty auditorium rather than detract from your lecture, while we attend the lectures we're more comfortable with." Uh, yeah, that would really make the speaker feel good. Better to just make it clear he or she isn't wanted at the conference at all, so he can put his efforts into a more rewarding venue.

My goal is to share the experience with those who have an interest in the same hobby, even if it's the visiting public in totally modern clothes, rather than to be "allowed" to have an experience that no one wants to be around, because they're in a different hobby.

Edited to add: And what Linda said, too. I didn't see her post before I replied. We're not really trying to do a good-cop/bad-cop routine, LOL!

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Living History as Performance Art

Hank,
I was watching "Back to the Future" with my boys last night and I thought.... it would be a great idea for you to create an associate degree program at a community college, or even maybe you could get a online degree program to support it. I'm sure you could combine it in the History and Theater Programs.