Theatrical jousting is a form of live entertainment in which a medieval

jousting Jousting is a medieval and renaissance martial game or hastilude between two combatants either on horse or on foot. The joust became an iconic characteristic of the knight in Romantic medievalism. The term is derived from Old French , ultim ...

tournament is recreated in conjunction with a scripted performance. Alternative terms are jousting reenactment and choreographed jousting. The

Hanlon-Lees Action Theater Hanlon-Lees Action Theater is an American entertainment company credited with the development of theatrical jousting. The company was formed in 1979 by partners Kent Shelton, Robin Wood, Richard "Dikki" Ellis, R. Vincent Park, Taso N. Stavrak ...

is credited with developing the theatrical joust format in 1979; its first appearance was at the

New York Renaissance Faire The New York Renaissance Faire is a Renaissance faire located in Tuxedo, New York off New York State Route 17A that was first held in 1978. The faire comprises permanent structures and has twenty stages and more than 100 shops. As of 2024, th ...

in Tuxedo, New York. This type of performance has become very popular at various

renaissance fair A Renaissance Festival (medieval fair or ren faire) is an outdoor gathering that aims to entertain its guests by recreating a historical setting, most often the English Renaissance. Renaissance festivals generally include costumed entertainers ...

s by the early 2000s. Typically a three-act affair, the theatrical joust consists of #a display of skill; #a mock battle which results in a verbal challenge; #an armed joust on horseback, often "to the death." A variety of colorful characters, either

villain A villain (also known as a " black hat", "bad guy" or "baddy"; The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.126 "baddy (also baddie) noun (pl. -ies) ''informal'' a villain or criminal in a book, film, etc.". the feminine form is villai ...

ous or

hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...

ic, give the audience (which is usually divided into sectors based upon the number of "

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

s") a particular person to root for or against. As the show must be repeated on a daily or weekly basis, all fights are carefully choreographed and rehearsed. Horses must be trained to withstand such peculiarities as the clatter of steel weaponry, the occurrence of a rider being knocked from the saddle, and the roar of large crowds. Special makeup and

prop A prop, formally known as a (theatrical) property, is an object actors use on stage or screen during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct ...

effects are often incorporated into the performance to provide the illusion of violent death or shattering equipment.

References

*Leeser, Kevin (2006). ''Renaissance Men'' (documentary film), 3 Alarm Carnival Productions. {{commonscat, Jousting reenactment Medieval-themed fairs by type