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Shattock has been given a fantastic opportunity that we wanted to
share with you. On Sunday, August 26th, they have been given a single
show "audition" at the Minnesota Ren Faire in Shakopee, MN.
If you can, show up and support them! This try out will allow them the
opportunity to be hired on a more permanent basis in the future! Go Shattock!
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SWISHY-POKING SHATTOCK SWORDPLAY
by Willa, ATF Staff Writer
 As
faire season approaches (faster and faster, it seems!), AtTheFaire will
be highlighting those performers and merchants whom we believe are a cut
above the rest. Of course, when we decided this course of action, the
first group that crossed our minds was Shattock
Schoole of Defence (ha! I spelled it right!).
JP has known them for a few years now, but I was only recently (meaning
last September at the Iowa Ren Faire)
introduced to them. Immediately, I was drawn in and drooling...they are
the troupe I have always wanted to be a member of! I was also extremely
impressed by Robespierre (AKA Frenchie), but not for the reason that most
14 year olds are impressed. He introduced himself to my two toddler sons,
learned their names, and remembered them for the rest of the day! He said
hello to them just before the skit started, which made my sons feel absolutely
giddy, being the big guys known by the swishy pokey guy. I'll never forget
that moment.
And of course, Stephanie
completely enchanted my younger son who decided that he just had to
give her a rose. "Have a good day, my lady," he said before
he kissed her hand. What a smoothy! But you know what? I'm digressing
as usual. I won't even go into how Jaspar absolutely made my entire faire
season (what a kisser!), or how Robespierre
helped me initiate a new wench. And I'll just nonchalantly add that
we spent a day with Shattock
not too long ago.
Because we're not here for me to give my own personal opinion of Shattock
(I've been called a groupie more than once...but I prefer the term gropey,
thankyouvermuch). We're here to talk about why they misspell defense and
school (from their web site: "No, we assure you we didn't. We
chose "defence", which is the correct spelling in British English."),
right? Just what makes these people tick and swish and poke? (Don't go
there.)
So, I figured the best way to let you get to know them would be for me
to ask them a few questions about themselves and the group of which they
are members.
But first, we'll cover a bit of their background information. Shattock,
which was founded in 1998 in Iowa City, Iowa, by Jason Tipsword (AKA Jaspar),
is made up of over 10 members. Their skits consist of a lot of rapier
wit (literally) and some dagger work (and not just from the ladies' eyes).
They're very impressive in their skills with ("authentic Elizabethan")
fencing, which is taught to all members by Jason himself. Every show is
more entertaining than the last, and they interact with the audience!
I sent an e-mail to each member of the group, and I'll list each question
that was asked, then the most interesting answers to each. I'm the Webwench...I
can do that. I will also use their faire names so that you don't get as
confused as I am.
- How did you become a member of Shattock?
- Godfrey: I had a half-assed interview at Shakey's one afternoon,
and Jason told me to come to practice.
- Kenneth: I was tricked.
- Stephanie: I attached myself to them and sort of pushed
my way into the touring manager position. I sort of never gave them
a chance to ask me to join.
- Robespierre: Unfortunately, due to an impending lawsuit,
I'm not at liberty to say.
- Gregor: I have loved swordplay for a long time, and I met
Jason and David through Stephanie. I was lucky because they weren't
really looking for more members, I just started coming to practice,
and then they asked me to fill in for Rob. I was so happy when Jason
said that he thought of me as part of the group. Hang on, I'm tearing
up.
- Adara: They needed an extra girl and all my hanging around
paid off.
- Mercurio: It just sort of happened.
- Keisha: I was drunk at a Wylde Nept concert and Jason asked
me. Guess they needed a 12th member.
- Ophelia: Okay, so one day I decide to accompany my (then)
boyfriend down to Iguana's in Iowa City...I see a flyer for some
fencing thing looking for new members. Then at the counter, I hear
a guy talking to the manager dude about that same fencing thing,
I asked some questions and was invited to come out and play...I've
ALWAYS wanted to be a performer at a faire, and well, that was that!
- What is the most memorable thing that has happened to you since
becoming a member?
- Argyle: The watermelon fight after my initiation...which
was pretty memorable too.
- Adara: Getting such a horrible bodice tan that it hurt
to breath.
- Ophelia: Memorable? Gee...I guess that depends on how you
define memorable. With us its more like "infamous"...I couldn't
even begin to try on that one...
- Jaspar: The first faire I attended was Jubilee when I was
14. My father took me. I had just started fencing. 11 years later
I found myself performing there, replacing Adam Crowne Fencing (one
of my idols) on Father's day.
- Gregor: Becoming Nate's brother, Gregor to his Argyle.
Oh, and initiation, but I am sworn to silence about that.
- Stephanie: When we were performing at a small community
faire in Brandon, IA, we marched in their town parade. At the end
of the day they gave out prizes for the best float contest. We won
2nd prize...only we didn't have a float.
- Robespierre: I made out with a girl in a cave. What can
I say, I was caught up in the moment.
- Kenneth: Bringing myself to perform in front of an audience,
but then there is a lot that I do not remember.
- Godfrey: I timed a duck wrongly, and ended up getting 6
staples in my head at the emergency room at Mercy Hospital. I've
heard from people who work there that they still talk about me.
(Note from Willa: This explains a lot.)
- Who is the best and more important person in the troupe?
- Gregor: Most important, that's Jason, 'cause his name is
on our corporate letterhead. He's the boss. You know.
- Jaspar: I go with Stephanie. She's done more work over
the last four or five months than anyone else.
- Ophelia: We're all unique and "the best" at some aspect
of this...but I would say Stephanie and Jason, since they get us
work and teach us what to do respectively.
- Argyle: Jason, because without him none of us would be
here doing any of this.
- Robespierre: I decline to say as my ego is already big
enough.
- Godfrey: I'm the best. :) But Jason and Stephy are probably
the most important.
- Adara: Jason is by far the best, but the least important.
- Fae: This is hard because I think everyone has some definite
good qualities that make them all equally important. And I totally
didn't mean that to sound corny or anything, I'm serious. Jason,
as the founder and head of the troupe, has the important distinction
of relative omnipotence. But don't tell him I said so, his ego's
big enough as it is. Stephanie does all the behind-the-scenes stuff,
and without that we wouldn't really have a TROUPE. The assumption
that stuff would eventually get done is probably correct, but Stephanie
does it well. David, of course, is the comic relief that we all
need; whether or not we need that comic relief at the time he's
choosing to provide it is an entirely different matter. On a more
personal note, Heather and Nate are absolutely marvelous, and have
endeared themselves to me by providing me with friendship and delicious
food. I don't feel that I know everyone else well enough to say
something SPECIFIC about them, other than so far I think everyone
is wonderful. Everyone has been so nice and supportive and helpful,
and as a result my skill levels are starting to improve as well.
Wow..this was a much longer answer than you probably wanted. But
anyway, if I absolutely HAD to pick the most important person in
the troupe, I guess it would be Stephanie, for taking care of everything
that needs doing. (Note from Willa: Can you tell she's the
newest member? I just had to include the entire answer... cracked
me up!)
- Who gets the most admirers? (Besides Frenchie)
- Ophelia: Oh, wait, you mean who gets the most admirers
over the age of 18! That would be Jason.
- Robespierre: Englishie.
- Fae: Probably Jason (Jaspar), but as far as I can tell
he really hates that, and I would think that would discourage admirers.
So Frenchie.
- Kenneth: Besides Robespierre...hmmm..well I get a few little
girl wanting to beat me up.
- Stephanie: Jason, probably. Though they tend to be unwanted
admirers which always makes for a laugh.
- Gregor: That one's tough too. Adara (Nancy) has gained
a big following in just one season, but I think that Phaedra is
going to give her a run for her money this season. Everybody loves
a saucy wench. (Note from Willa: Don't I know it!)
- Godfrey: Besides David? I dunno, he kinda draws everyone
away from the rest of us. (Note from Willa: Bitter, party
of one, your table is ready.)
- Adara: I would say me, but mostly they are unwanted.
- Jaspar: If we're speaking strictly of teenage girls, and
slightly older beverage stand workers, David certainly takes the
cake. I think the men in the audience pay most attention to Heather
(Ophelia). It's the tail.
- Describe your character in five words or less.
- Godfrey: Wannabe evil mastermind.
- Gregor: Big talker, but little guy.
- Mercurio: Confused, clever, calm, new, lucky.
- Fae: Fiery Irish wench.
- Kenneth: Um, I don't know.
- Robespierre: Cute, charming, intelligent, hungry and nice
hair.
- Adara: French bar wench.
- Jaspar: Temper, temper. Oh and Ego.
- Ophelia: Loud, saucy, competent, competitive, petty thief....
- Argyle: Big, loud and very fun.
- What do you enjoy most about being a member of Shattock?
- Fae: All of it!
- Ophelia: Performing. Hearing a crowd laugh at your jokes
is one of the most wonderful feelings.
- Stephanie: Having an excuse to take roadtrips with 12 of
my best friends all summer long.
- Gregor: The sense of community. We are like a little family.
We all help each other out and have each others' backs. If one of
us needs help, all they have to do is ask.
- Mercurio: Just that. Being a member of Shattock.
- Robespierre: The dental plan.
- Jaspar: Fellowship. We don't always get along, but we almost
always have a good time.
- Godfrey: I enjoy learning the fencing stuff. The choreographed
show stuff is fun, but I prefer the unchoreographed sparring that
goes on before the shows. It's a great feeling to carry a sword
around at faire and actually know how to use it. It's an even better
feeling to carry a sword around at faire and have people know you
know how to use it. :)
- Adara: Getting into the faires for free.
- Who does the most work for the group?
- Stephanie was our big winner here...with Jaspar coming in a close
second.
- Name at least one thing that you have learned to do strictly because
you work faire.
- Mercurio: Not sure if I've learned so much. Swordfighting
certainly, and purple dress wearing, also talking to crowds. was
never good at that before.
- Ophelia: Shower in five minutes.
- Argyle: How to Bark and Influence People.
- Godfrey: I've learned how to survive insanely hot weather
without air conditioning.
- Fae: Swear in Basic Faire Accent.
- Gregor: I've learned to start off with "Now don't YOU try
this, because we're trained and you aren't..." whenever I talk about
swordfighting. I always thought that if you didn't know how, it
was common sense not to swing a sword at your spouse's head. Guess
not.
- Jaspar: I have learned a lot from working with this group
of people that I use in real life.
- Stephanie: How to instruct others to tie my sleeves on
so that they'll stay tied all day long.
- Adara: Always apply sunscreen before you leave your tent.
- Kenneth: Making people hear me.
- Robespierre: Check all age consent laws before traveling.
- If you HAD to say one nice thing about Robespierre, what would
it be?
- Jaspar: Robespierre has only one redeeming quality. He's
loyal to his friends. Aside from that he is a Scoundrel of the first
order. Now watch, my first daughter will end up dating someone just
like him.
- Argyle: He definitely knows how to have fun.
- Gregor: He hasn't tried to have sex with me yet. That's
good.
- Fae: He's very sweet, charismatic and enchanting, not to
mention fun to play with. Plus, there's something deliciously seductive
in his eyes that I find almost irresistible. Almost.
- Mercurio: This space intentionally left blank.
- Stephanie: He makes the rest of us look good.
- Ophelia: Ahhh...He's got really nice hair...
- Keisha: Nice hat.
- Kenneth: He's a great guy. Little bit of a two track mind,
but still a great guy.
- Godfrey: This is an entirely hypothetical question. I am
under no obligation to say nice things about Robespierre.
- Adara: Nope, I got nothin'.
- Robespierre: Oh, they're are so many things how can I pick
just one...let me give it a shot...for starters (EDITED FOR CONTENT).
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