Hoggetowne Medieval Faire

Thursday, 27 January 2011 09:31

My name is Mead Bowen, and I played Sir Galahad on the living chessboard at Gainesville’s 2009 Hoggetowne Medieval Faire. Some of my fondest memories and best friends came from that experience, and I will be rejoining them this year as Sir Tristan. Here’s what it’s like traveling back in time.

By Mead Bowen

Since my first taste of Arthurian legend, I knew that I wanted to be a knight. Forget Superman—knights like Lancelot or Galahad were the original superheroes, and they have a sense of honor I have yet to find in the modern era. When I heard that participating in the Thieves Guilde’s show would let me become a knight, I jumped at the chance to audition. Soon after, I learned I had earned the role of Sir Galahad. I couldn’t wait.

I had no idea what I was getting into.

Becoming a medieval character meant not only learning how to walk and talk like one; it meant learning how to fight like one, too. If I were to be a knight, I would have to know my way around a sword. And the learning curve was steep. Moving my feet in quick half-circles, advancing and retreating, parrying and swinging a sword safely—learning how to do each on its own was easy enough. Putting them all together? That’s an art I have yet to master.

After months of training, I performed my test fight for the trainers. I handled the sword well, but I didn’t make eye contact with my partner before I swung, and my footwork was off. My failure meant that I couldn’t use a sword on the chessboard. And what was a knight without his sword?

My partner and I doubled our efforts. We purchased two dowel rods, wrapped the ends in painter’s tape and swung at each other for several afternoons until dusk. We ran our test fight before the trainers again weeks before the show, and this time, we passed.

We still had much to do before the show—each of us had to sew a costume in addition to working on the set (two towers, the Round Table and the chairs to go around it, plus a special seating area for the knights).

Finally, the Faire arrived. We lined up along both sides of the entrance path to gather supporters for each side of the chessboard: the White Side—King Arthur and his supporters—and the Black Side—the rebel, Mordred, and his followers. Later we performed impromptu street scenes. To make witty conversation on the fly, it was essential to remain in character to not break the illusion for the audience—or for myself.

One scene I remember fondly was “The Quest for Sir Galahad’s Boot.” A group from the Black Side, the Brute Squad, approached me, and I warily struck up conversation. One of them, the barrel-chested Carlisle, sneaked behind me and hoisted me into the air while his partner-in-crime, Maeve, yanked off my right boot and bolted through the crowd. I hobbled around on uneven footing, muddying my sock and asking fairgoers if they had seen the “accursed French ruffians” who stole my boot. Meanwhile, Maeve and Carlisle tried to sell it. The Black Side found the sight of me limping around so amusing that, on the next day, they stole my left boot as well.

The chessboard was the highlight of each day. For most of the show, I sat on the sidelines, cheering the White Side, booing the Black Side and reacting to the fights. On the second board, I showcased my unarmed fight against Smithfield, the Black Side’s herald. Despite a brutal kick, I emerged victorious. As I staggered off the board “in pain,” the Black Side booed and the White Side roared. I had my moment of glory.

We gathered on the last day of the Faire to say goodbye and sing “Health to the Company,” an end-of-faire tradition. “Let us drink and merry, all grief to refrain, for we may and might never all meet here again.” I was a newcomer, but I knew then that the Guilde isn’t only about recreating the Middle Ages or about putting on a show. The Guilde is a family—one that I am proud to be a part of.

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