Comments on: History Alive 2010 http://sleech.info/reviews/history-alive-2010.html Books, swords, language and a bunch of other stuff Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:44:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Mark Koens http://sleech.info/reviews/history-alive-2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-692 Mark Koens Mon, 21 Jun 2010 05:51:32 +0000 http://sleech.info/?p=1094#comment-692 Hi Chris, All is well with your thoughts. I think it is great that someone from outside the hobby shares a passion and realistic concern. By 40 years, I mean the broad spectrum of reenactment. Yes! the Napoleonic era we do is very expensive and when competing with X box and playstation it is hard to come out in front often for youth interest. Saying that we had a number of under 18s on the field and in the camp. We try to make it a family hobby as much as possible and thus continue the hobby. Inclusivity rather than inclusivity must be a priority for it to continue. Thanks for the positive feedback. Regards Mark Hi Chris,
All is well with your thoughts. I think it is great that someone from outside the hobby shares a passion and realistic concern.
By 40 years, I mean the broad spectrum of reenactment.
Yes! the Napoleonic era we do is very expensive and when competing with X box and playstation it is hard to come out in front often for youth interest. Saying that we had a number of under 18s on the field and in the camp. We try to make it a family hobby as much as possible and thus continue the hobby. Inclusivity rather than inclusivity must be a priority for it to continue. Thanks for the positive feedback.
Regards
Mark

]]> By: Chris Slee http://sleech.info/reviews/history-alive-2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-691 Chris Slee Mon, 21 Jun 2010 02:52:44 +0000 http://sleech.info/?p=1094#comment-691 Obviously, I've expressed myself poorly. The ANA display was the outstanding highlight of History Alive for me - the black powder fire and movement was dead interesting. Multiple units on the field and any kind of combined arms display would be magnificent. i can't wait to see it. As for still learning the craft of demonstration, 40 years is a long time for an apprenticeship. I was struck by the lack of younger people engaging in the displays. I also see a high cost of entry into the hobby for participants. Those uniforms, weapons and the required black powder license are expensive. Is the latter the cause of the former or are there simly too many other distractions? The WW2 display I saw was also good but suffered from a lack of people on the field to make it feel more 'real.' This is the core of the issues I was trying to get across. Obviously, I’ve expressed myself poorly. The ANA display was the outstanding highlight of History Alive for me – the black powder fire and movement was dead interesting. Multiple units on the field and any kind of combined arms display would be magnificent. i can’t wait to see it.

As for still learning the craft of demonstration, 40 years is a long time for an apprenticeship. I was struck by the lack of younger people engaging in the displays. I also see a high cost of entry into the hobby for participants. Those uniforms, weapons and the required black powder license are expensive. Is the latter the cause of the former or are there simly too many other distractions?

The WW2 display I saw was also good but suffered from a lack of people on the field to make it feel more ‘real.’ This is the core of the issues I was trying to get across.

]]> By: Mark Koens http://sleech.info/reviews/history-alive-2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-690 Mark Koens Mon, 21 Jun 2010 01:36:50 +0000 http://sleech.info/?p=1094#comment-690 Hi all, Great discussion. Couple of issues. Tighter scripting is important for all periods and a sensible outline of the units history presentation would be smart for the punters. Not sure about reenactment dying a slow death The ANA has had strong growth over the last 5 years and members annually participate in European engagements soch as Waterloo, Austerlitz and Veere. I believe that we are all still learning the craft after more than 40 years in this country and I know that sounds weird but the ANA for example is working to move from single unit representations to multiple units on the field which gives a bigger scope for fire, movement and nationality representation. Regards Mark Koens Chair ANA Hi all,
Great discussion.
Couple of issues.
Tighter scripting is important for all periods and a sensible outline of the units history presentation would be smart for the punters.
Not sure about reenactment dying a slow death The ANA has had strong growth over the last 5 years and members annually participate in European engagements soch as Waterloo, Austerlitz and Veere.
I believe that we are all still learning the craft after more than 40 years in this country and I know that sounds weird but the ANA for example is working to move from single unit representations to multiple units on the field which gives a bigger scope for fire, movement and nationality representation.
Regards
Mark Koens
Chair
ANA

]]> By: Chris Slee http://sleech.info/reviews/history-alive-2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-687 Chris Slee Sun, 20 Jun 2010 12:44:42 +0000 http://sleech.info/?p=1094#comment-687 Makes perfect sense. The Abbey is about spectacle in a way that History Alive was not.. Let's see what's on at <a href="http://www.abbeytournament.com/fwc_medieval_tournament_10.htm" rel="nofollow">Abbey Tournament</a> website: <ul> <li>jousting</li> <li>musicians of various kinds</li> <li>wrestling</li> <li>medieval football</li> <li>medieval theatre</li> </ul> The "High Medieval Tournament" I saw at History Alive was disappointing to say the least. Makes perfect sense. The Abbey is about spectacle in a way that History Alive was not.. Let’s see what’s on at Abbey Tournament website:

  • jousting
  • musicians of various kinds
  • wrestling
  • medieval football
  • medieval theatre

The “High Medieval Tournament” I saw at History Alive was disappointing to say the least.

]]> By: Leon http://sleech.info/reviews/history-alive-2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-686 Leon Sun, 20 Jun 2010 04:55:12 +0000 http://sleech.info/?p=1094#comment-686 Intresting you say the abbey can deliver where history alive does not, all the drunkin medieval groups you were slagging off are quite a big proportion of participants at the abbey not making alot of sense? Intresting you say the abbey can deliver where history alive does not, all the drunkin medieval groups you were slagging off are quite a big proportion of participants at the abbey not making alot of sense?

]]> By: Chris Slee http://sleech.info/reviews/history-alive-2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-684 Chris Slee Fri, 18 Jun 2010 07:15:28 +0000 http://sleech.info/?p=1094#comment-684 Don't get me wrong. I really enjoyed History Alive but, with my well-known passion for history, I wish it were way to infect others with it. The key to modern re-enactment appears to be spectacle. This, the Abbey can do and do well. Don’t get me wrong. I really enjoyed History Alive but, with my well-known passion for history, I wish it were way to infect others with it.

The key to modern re-enactment appears to be spectacle. This, the Abbey can do and do well.

]]> By: Andrew G http://sleech.info/reviews/history-alive-2010.html/comment-page-1#comment-683 Andrew G Fri, 18 Jun 2010 01:07:48 +0000 http://sleech.info/?p=1094#comment-683 Nice round up and a very good point about lack of purpose. I am finding this to be all to common - no one stops to ask "why are we doing this?". Do you think the Abbey Museum's Medieval Festival will achieve a better result next month? Nice round up and a very good point about lack of purpose. I am finding this to be all to common – no one stops to ask “why are we doing this?”.

Do you think the Abbey Museum’s Medieval Festival will achieve a better result next month?

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