Weapon Wednesday

Knives!

This is the only weapon not attached to our body that we use every day. Rightly so, many people have a deep fear of knives, even the regular kitchen variety.

The basic knife was most likely the first edged weapon used by humans and it probably didn't look too much different than some around today (mostly the prison variety...)

Knives are great for stage because they are shiny (grabs audience focus), dangerous  (audience focus), fast (holds suspense/intensity), relatable (everyone has used a knife, not everyone has used a flaming whip for self defense), and intimate.

The intimacy of knives  is what I enjoy most. There is no way to live in a middle ground with this weapon. You are either scared beyond reason for your life or you want nothing more than to cut a bitch. Ideally and realistically you rapidly switch back and forth. You can't half ass cut someone, you would die.

Then there is the act of stabbing. Studies on the brain show a strong correlation in the areas of the brain that process sex and violence. The brain activity/processing  occurs in almost the exact same place! Not only that but thrusting a Sharp pointed object into another person has the obvious visual similarities of sex (especially for people with sharp pointy genetalia).

Basically, when a knife is pulled out onstage it is extremely interesting. Even with mediocre choreography, the proximity of the combatants is exciting and engaging. Cap all that with a stab filled with meaning, story and emotion... disturbingly delightful.

There lies the pitfall, however. If the stab or cut or end is lame then the audience is really disappointed, all that build up and no climax? Shameful.

Dive into the gory details, they are plentiful and challenging. It should feel just as, if not more, intimate as having sex. If you aren't comfortable with this or feel unsafe please know that it is ok, knives and fighting with them (even pretend) is intense.

Greg