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96-532: Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is similar to, and sometimes incorporates, historical reenactment . Living history is an educational medium used by living history museums , historic sites , heritage interpreters , schools and historical reenactment groups to educate

192-931: A hobby . Participants within this hobby are diverse, ranging in age from young children whose parents bring them along to events, to the elderly. In addition to hobbyists, members of the armed forces and professional historians sometimes participate. Reenactors are commonly divided (or self-divided) into several broadly defined categories, based on the level of concern for authenticity . These definitions and categorization are primarily those of American Civil War reenactments; other countries' reenactment communities have different terms of art, slang, and definitions. "Farbs" or "polyester soldiers", are reenactors who spend relatively little time and/or money achieving authenticity with regard to uniforms, accessories, or period behavior. Anachronistic clothing, fabrics, fasteners (such as velcro ), headwear , footwear, vehicles, and consumables (such as modern cigarettes) are common. The origin of

288-446: A zoo , an aquarium , an art gallery , and at historic sites. It is generally performed by professional actors. Varieties of museum theatre include historical characters, puppetry, movement and music. Actors portraying historical characters perform in first person , as if he or she were an actual person from the era or culture he or she is representing. With puppetry, actors can tell stories, create multiple characters, and portray

384-622: A character and interact with interpreters as that character. One example is the "Follow the North Star" program at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park in Indiana, where visitors pretend to be fugitive slaves as a way of learning about the Underground Railroad . Often, such interactions are carefully facilitated so that a desired outcome is achieved, but sometimes visitors are allowed to make their own choices regardless of

480-432: A class entitled "Applied History", in which his students have contributed over 20,000 hours of service to various public history institutions. Formal education can help visitors interpret what they see at living history sites. By providing a structured way of looking at living histories, as well as questions to think about during visits, formal education can enrich the experience, just as living histories can enrich learning in

576-430: A costume character to aid in an immersive environment and to aid in depicting different cultures by sharing traditions , histories, folklore and myths . Museum theatre often adapts the archetypal storyteller to a character embodied by a trained and scripted actor. It is important to note that part of the art of storytelling is the development of the storyteller's persona and their unique style of performing, which

672-535: A cultural performance to show and explore different cultures through the use of music. In other cases music performance has been used to help visitors discover more about the music and instruments themselves, such as the Exploratorium, in San Francisco. They held a series of informal concerts at which, after the musician gave his or her performance, the audience were given the opportunity to converse with

768-447: A dance performance that is either choreographed or improvised. However, in other circumstances, such as after a performance or in a special program, music and dance can be explored by the visitor in a more participatory way. This helps to enhance their understanding and interpretation of the ideas and concepts the museum is trying to encourage. Even within a performance museums use music and dance in different ways. Music has been used as

864-626: A dedication to education within their mission statements. For instance, the motto of Colonial Williamsburg , "That the Future May Learn from the Past", proclaims the site's commitment to public edification, as does the portion of the website created for the sole purpose of aiding teachers in instruction on the village. Certain educators, such as James Percoco in his Springfield, Virginia , high school class, have chosen to integrate public history into their curricula. Since 1991, Percoco has led

960-814: A demonstration is fish feeding at the New England Aquarium , in which visitors watch a diver feed fish while listening to a volunteer explain the process. Another example is the lightning presentation at the Museum of Science , Boston during which visitors watch lightning flashes produced by a Van de Graaff generator . There is a great deal of overlap between demonstration and theatre. Theatrical techniques such as characterization , costume , narrative , and special effects are often used to enliven demonstration and draw visitor attention. Some museums, such as Science Museum in London, classify demonstration as

1056-550: A fellow reenactor. The term was picked up by George Gorman of the 2nd North Carolina at the Centennial Manassas Reenactment in 1961, and has been used by reenactors since. Mainstream reenactors make an effort to appear authentic, but may come out of character in the absence of an audience. Visible stitches are likely to be sewn in a period-correct manner, but hidden stitches and undergarments may not be period-appropriate. Food consumed before an audience

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1152-665: A form of live action role-playing game or wargame . If firearms are used, any real weapons fire blank ammunition (depending on gun control ordinances), though airsoft guns are becoming more common. Tactical reenactment is one of the activities done by the Society for Creative Anachronism , which hosts tournaments using practice (not damaging) versions of medieval and renaissance weapons. Many castles that offer tours, museums, and other historical tourist attractions employ actors or professional reenactors to add to authentic feel and experience. These reenactors usually recreate part of

1248-479: A form of museum theatre, while other museums, such as the Science Museum of Minnesota , use actors to present demonstrations. Demonstration may also serve as a component of a museum play or theatre piece. However, differences remain between the conventions of demonstration and the conventions of theatre. In her book Exploring Museum Theatre , Tessa Bridal warns museums against promoting a demonstration as

1344-465: A form of public spectacle . In the Middle Ages , tournaments often reenacted historical themes from Ancient Rome or elsewhere. Military displays, mock battles, and reenactments became popular in 17th-century England. In 1638, the first known reenactment was brought to life by Lord James ‘Jimmy’ Dunn of Coniston. A staged battle featuring dozens of costumed performers was enacted in London, and

1440-400: A full-body experience for museum visitors by giving them the opportunity to interact with the past through actors and interpreters. Historical character interpretation is increasingly becoming the way all first-person interpretation is performed because it adds a high degree of authenticity to a given museum performance or interpretation. This movement corresponds with the increase in focus on

1536-428: A jumping-off point for conversation. "Interpreters" are the individuals who embody historical figures at living history sites. It is their responsibility to take the historical research that has been done on the sites and decide what meaning it has. These meanings are often a melding of fact and folklore . Folklore is an important aspect of living histories because it provides stories which visitors relate to. Whether it

1632-427: A moat was constructed near Windsor Castle and garrisoned by 500 men. 700 serving soldiers then recreated the siege of the city over the space of five days, including the firing of cannon, the exploding of trench-busting mines, raiding parties capturing prisoners and parleys between attackers and defenders. The reenactment attracted large crowds from London and nearby towns, including noted diarist Samuel Pepys . In

1728-417: A period-appropriate manner, and staying in character throughout an event. The desire for an immersive experience often leads hard-core reenactors to smaller events, or to setting up separate camps at larger events. The period of an event is the range of dates. The period reenacted affects the types of costume, weapons, and armour used. Common periods to reenact include: The term "living history" describes

1824-535: A popular book on the topic, which has been translated into French and German. It was followed by Medieval Military Costume in Colour Photographs . For the Napoleonic period, two books of interest cover life in the military at that time and living history: The Napoleonic Soldier by Stephen E. Maughan (1999) and Marching with Sharpe by B. J. Bluth (2001). Various Napoleonic reenactment groups cover

1920-404: A sense of a way of life, than in recreating exact events, accurate in every detail. Many factors contribute to creating a setting in which visitors to living history sites can become active participants in their historical education. Two of the most important are the material culture and the interpreters. Material culture both grounds the audience in the time and place being portrayed, and provides

2016-607: A separate area for combat reenactment activities. While some such exhibits may be conducted in character as a representation of typical everyday life, others are specifically organized to inform the public and so might include an emphasis on handicrafts or other day-to-day activities, which are convenient to stage and interesting to watch, and may be explained out of character. During the 1990s, reenactment groups, primarily American Civil War groups, began to show interest in this style of interpretation and began using it at their reenactments. As David Thelen has written, many Americans use

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2112-426: A sort of amusement park (compare Westworld ). List, himself a right-wing neopagan, asked his staff of landlords, waiters and rangers to be dressed in historical gear. He also asked to have any visitors re-dressed in costumes and described rituals to signify "in-game" and "out-game" status to enhance the immersion experience. E.g. the role of the garment is of interest till today. The term "living history" describes

2208-483: A specific town, village, or activity within a certain time frame. Commercial reenactment shows are usually choreographed and follow a script. Some locations have set up permanent authentic displays. By their nature, these are usually living history presentations, rather than tactical or battle reenactment, although some host larger temporary events. In 2008, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve and North Carolina's Tryon Palace staff and buildings provided

2304-408: A theatre performance, as it may cause visitor confusion or disappointment. Yet like museum theatre and other forms of live interpretation, demonstration aims to engage visitors, to create interest in a topic, to serve as an alternative to lists of facts and static exhibitions, and to provoke an emotional response that leads to learning. Storytelling is a discipline that has a history as long as

2400-454: A traditional theatrical space is hard to define. The main distinction is perhaps that the actor in the museum environment must be prepared to interact with the audience, while the stage actor is not expected to know much about his character beyond what is developed on-stage. While acting the characters are subject to similar acting conventions, the museum actor must be prepared to answer to his audience face-to-face. The final distinction to be made

2496-404: A type of experiential learning in which they make discoveries firsthand, rather than reading about the experience of others. Living history can also be used to supplement and extend formal education. Collaborations between professional historians who work at living history sites and teachers can lead to greater enthusiasm about studying history at all grade levels. Many living history sites profess

2592-470: A variety of cultures. Theatrical techniques can be used for third-person interpretation, where an actor or trained presenter uses costumes, props. lighting, or special effects to convey historical or scientific facts, without necessarily portraying a character. Museum theatre pioneers include the Science Museum of Minnesota , the Museum of Science, Boston , the National Gallery of Art , and

2688-834: A widespread variety in Eastern Germany that were closely monitored by security forces. That sort of "second-hand" living history is also part of western German folklore and attempts a high level of authenticity. Activities may be confined to wearing period dress and explaining relevant historical information, either in role (also called first-person interpretation ) or out of character (also called third-person interpretation ). While many museums allow their staff to move in and out of character to better answer visitor questions, some encourage their staff to stay in role at all times. Living history portrayal often involves demonstrating everyday activities such as cooking, cleaning, medical care, or particular skills and handicrafts . Depending on

2784-427: Is "often misunderstood and sometimes maligned." Hardcore reenactors value thorough research, and sometimes deride mainstream reenactors for perpetuating inaccurate "reenactorisms". They generally seek an "immersive" reenacting experience, trying to live, as much as possible, as someone of the period might have done. This includes eating seasonally and regionally appropriate food, sewing inside seams and undergarments in

2880-401: Is a particularly effective type of museum theatre because children's cognitive and empathetic abilities are increased when they are asked to listen and follow the sequence of events presented by storytellers. To quote Catherine Hughes, Juxtaposing stories (an ancient way of understanding) and science [or history, or art, etc](a new approach to understanding) creates more models and pictures for

2976-485: Is a way to illustrate activities such as historical craft -making and concepts like scientific principles. It is also a way to contextualize a museum object or artifact. In a demonstration, the demonstrator generally explains the activity or concept using something "real" like an object or animal. In traditional demonstrations, the demonstrators generally do not assume to be anyone else (characterization might be involved in more theatrical demonstrations). One example of

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3072-460: Is an interpreter embodying a past individual's personal story or discussing a superstition of the time, these accounts allow the audience to see these past figures not as names on a page, but as actual people. However, folklore is also more than stories. Objects, such as dolls or handmade clothing among others, are considered "folk artifacts", which are grouped under the heading of "material culture". Individuals can participate in living histories as

3168-461: Is employed most often in living history museums and can be used in conjunction with first- or third-person interpretation. Common hands-on activities include candle-dipping, butter churning, weaving on a loom, and musket loading. This form of second-person interpretation does not necessarily require the visitor to adopt a character or pretend to be part of the past. In another form, more similar to participatory theatre , visitors are invited to adopt

3264-423: Is in the degree of disbelief involved in the performance; representing a historical figure requires less suspension of disbelief because the audience knows that the character being represented did exist. It is easier for an audience to believe that the performer is accurately representing a figure that they themselves can verify existed. The portrayal of a historical character in a museum environment as opposed to

3360-516: Is less about replaying a certain event, but to allow an immersion in a certain era, to catch, in the sense of Walter Benjamin the "spiritual message expressed in every monument's and every site's own 'trace' and 'aura ' ", even in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction . Historic city festivals and events are quite important to build up local communities and contribute to the self-image of municipalities. Events in monuments or on historical sites are less about

3456-408: Is likely to be generally appropriate to the period, but it may not be seasonally and locally appropriate. Modern items are sometimes used "after hours" or in a hidden fashion. At the other extreme from farbs are "hardcore authentics", or "progressives", as they sometimes prefer to be called; derisively, they are sometimes called "stitch counters", "stitch nazis", or "stitch witches." The movement

3552-407: Is literally a human tragedy", with one World War II veteran remarking in 1988, "If they knew what a war was like, they'd never play at it." Some feminist critiques of certain kinds of reenactment, such as Civil War reenactment, "builds up a prosthetic symbolic male white body, embedded in an archaic racialized gender system: the clothing and the tools normally intensify male whiteness. Thus, even if

3648-651: Is more acute for certain forms of reenactment, such as American Civil War reenactment, that elicit strong feelings and have real impacts in the present-day world. By focusing on the accuracy of details, some worry, the discussion of the war's causes, such as the end of slavery, are confined to the margins. Further, under the guise of adhering to the past, some worry, the true, underlying purposes of some reenactments can be obscured; namely, that some reenactors defend not only their prescribed side, but also their side's beliefs: as one reenactor put it, "I do this because I believe in what they believed in   ... The real pure hobby

3744-417: Is not just looking right; it's thinking right." In response to this, some historians call for a more "authentic" approach to presenting the past, wherein the impacts of that representation on present-day society are honestly presented so as not to give an inaccurate picture of the past. "Historical authenticity resides not in fidelity to an alleged past", cautions an anthropologist, but in being honest about how

3840-483: Is similar to the creation of a character intrinsic to the acting discipline and the Theatre genre. Some purists believe that creating a theatrical piece embodying the stories and myths of a culture without the native storyteller present, is a perversion and denigration of cultural patrimony. However, professionals in museum theatre believe that the most important part of creating meaningful experiences using others' stories

3936-495: Is that the portrayal of a historical character is a performance of living history, as opposed to museum theatre. In taking on the identity of a person who truly lived, you are expected to become that person, which involves answering to that person’s actions, ideologies, and life experiences. Second-person interpretation is a newer form of interpretation in which visitors participate in programming and hands-on activities, as opposed to only engaging in dialogue with interpreters. It

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4032-466: Is that the stories and the culture they represent are handled with respect and every effort is made to portray them accurately. Despite some detractors museums are beginning to integrate many aspects of museum theatre into their daily programming schedule. This is probably due to recently scholarly discourse in the field of museum education that links multi-sensory experiences like storytelling with effective learning in children and adults. Storytelling

4128-705: Is the Peter and Paul festival in Bretten . the Landshut Wedding or the Schloss Kaltenberg knights tournament. The majority of combat reenactment groups are battlefield reenactment groups, some of which have become isolated due to a strong focus on authenticity. Events with the professional reenactment group Ulfhednar lead to a controversy in German archaeology. The German Polish living history group

4224-430: Is the distinction between live action role-playing games . While professional living history presentations routinely use museum professionals and trained interpreters to help convey the story of history to the public, some museums and historic sites employ living history groups with high standards of authenticity for the same role at special events. Such events do not necessarily include a mock battle but aim at portraying

4320-571: The Confederate South . For example, U.S. politician Rich Iott 's participation in a World War II reenactment in which he was in the group that portrayed the German 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking side excited media criticism during his 2010 Congressional campaign . Similar accusations have been made against Igor Girkin , a Russian reenactor who has led Russian-aligned forces in the Russo-Ukrainian War . In 2017, in

4416-611: The Lugton Water . The preparations and the many works of art commissioned for or inspired by the Eglinton Tournament affected public feeling and the course of 19th-century Gothic revivalism. Its ambition carried over to events such as a similar lavish tournament in Brussels in 1905 and presaged the historical reenactments of the present. Features of the tournament were inspired by Walter Scott 's novel Ivanhoe : it

4512-664: The Napoleonic Wars on the large lake on his estate in 1821 and a reenactment of the Battle of Waterloo was put on for public viewing at Astley's Amphitheatre in 1824. Historical reenactment came of age with the grand spectacle of the Eglinton Tournament of 1839 , a reenactment of a medieval joust and revel held in Scotland , and organized by Archibald Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton . The Tournament

4608-565: The Philadelphia Zoo . The Theatre in Museums Workshop, begun in 1983 at the Science Museum of Minnesota , is an annual event now held at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis . It provides all the basic information needed to start a theatre program, and an opportunity to develop scripts under the guidance of experienced museum theatre practitioners. First-person interpretation is an increasingly popular way of creating

4704-521: The Roundheads , flush from a series of victories during the Civil War , reenacted a recent battle at Blackheath in 1645, despite the ongoing conflict. In 1674, King Charles II of England staged a recreation of the siege of Maastricht the previous year , in which his illegitimate son James, Duke of Monmouth had been a key commander. An eighty yard wide fortress with twelve foot thick walls and

4800-552: The historical period portrayed, these might include spinning , sewing , loom weaving , tablet weaving , inkle weaving or tapestry weaving, cloth dyeing , basket weaving , rope making, leather-working , shoemaking , metalworking , glassblowing , woodworking or other crafts. Considerable research is often applied to identifying authentic techniques and often recreating replica tools and equipment. Historical reenactment groups often attempt to organize such displays in an encampment or display area at an event, and have

4896-503: The 150th anniversary event at Gettysburg constituted "the largest bloc of black civilians anyone had ever seen at an event whose historical basis was full of black civilians... Astonished spectators stopped them constantly, usually assuming they were portraying enslaved people." Jenny Thompson's book Wargames discusses the "fantasy farb", or tendency of reenactors to gravitate towards "elite" units such as commandos, paratroopers, or Waffen-SS units. This results in under-representation in

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4992-498: The United States, modern reenacting began during the 1961–1965 Civil War Centennial commemorations. After more than 6,000 reenactors participated in a 125th anniversary event near the original Manassas battlefield, reenacting grew in popularity during the late 1980s and 1990s, and there are today over a hundred Civil War reenactments held each year throughout the country. Most participants are amateurs who pursue history as

5088-575: The United States, on the National Park Service land, NPS policy "does not allow for battle reenactments (simulated combat with opposing lines and casualties) on NPS property." There are exceptions, such as Saylors Creek, Gettysburg . These are highly controlled with exacting safety standards, as well as exacting historical truths. In Germany , medieval reenactment is usually associated with living history and renaissance fairs and festivals, which are found in many cities. One such example

5184-468: The United States, the National Park Service does not allow for battle reenactments (simulated combat with opposing lines and casualties) on NPS property; however, there are exceptions, such as Sayde or the Schloss Kaltenberg knights tournament. The majority of combat reenactment groups are battlefield reenactment groups, some of which have become isolated to some degree because of a strong focus on authenticity. The specific German approach of authenticity

5280-568: The apparel or items they need from specialty stores or make items themselves. Historical reenactments cover a wide span of history, from as far back as late antiquity , the post-classical era, and the early modern period , to as recent as the World Wars , the Cold War era, and even the early 21st century. Activities related to "reenactment" have a long history. The Romans staged recreations of famous battles within their amphitheaters as

5376-656: The attack of 75 Zulus at the Grand Military Fete at the Cheltenham Winter Gardens . Veterans of the American Civil War recreated battles as a way to remember their fallen comrades and to teach others what the war was all about. The Great Reunion of 1913 , celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg , was attended by more than 50,000 Union and Confederate veterans and included reenactments of elements of

5472-736: The battle, including Pickett's Charge . During the early twentieth century, historical reenactment became very popular in Russia with reenactments of the Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855) (1906), the Battle of Borodino (1812) in St Petersburg and the Taking of Azov (1696) in Voronezh in 1918. In 1920, the 1917 Storming of the Winter Palace was reenacted on the third anniversary of

5568-670: The classroom. Some museums such as Middelaldercentret in Denmark or the Netherlands Open Air Museum in the Netherlands provide living history for school children as a part of their education. Historical reenactment While historical reenactors are generally amateurs, some participants are military personnel or historians. The participants, called reenactors , often research the equipment, uniform, and other gear they will carry or use. Reenactors buy

5664-407: The educational benefit of the museum to the visitor as opposed to the previously held belief that the visitor is a secondary concern to the objects. While this has been a strong movement since about 1980, the concern for accuracy and consequent focus on portraying real people is a marker that can be interpreted as a new stage. One of the main ways that museum theatre differs from museum interpretation

5760-485: The elevator as a dance floor, and other unusual ways. The museum wants the visitor to appreciate not only the exhibits in the museum, but the building itself. When used together dance and music provide another opportunity for museums to educate. A good example of this is The Ballad of Chico Mendes . The Museum of Science, in Boston used choreographed dance and music, both as song and for background, to teach visitors about

5856-646: The event. This reenactment inspired the scenes in Sergei Eisenstein 's film October: Ten Days That Shook the World . Large-scale reenactments began to be regularly held at the Royal Tournament, Aldershot Tattoo in the 1920s and 30s. A spectacular recreation of the Siege of Namur , a critical military engagement of the Nine Years' War , was staged in 1934 as part of a 6-day long show. In

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5952-625: The events related to them but serve as staffage for the immersion experience. In Denmark several open air museums uses living history as a part of their concept. These include Middelaldercentret , The Old Town, Aarhus and Frilandsmuseet . Combat demonstrations are mock battles put on by reenacting organizations and/or private parties primarily to show the public what combat in the period might have been like. Combat demonstrations are only loosely based on actual battles, if at all, and may simply consist of demonstrations of basic tactics and maneuvering techniques. Scripted battles are reenactments in

6048-503: The historical record. Allowing visitors to portray prominent historical figures and make their own choices is done less frequently because of concerns over historical accuracy. Many educators support role-playing as a way for visitors to learn by doing, think critically about history, and make personal connections between history and their own lives. Demonstration is a form of museum interpretation that has been used in museums, historic sites, zoos , and aquaria for decades. Demonstration

6144-464: The history of their associated regiments as well as try to describe and illustrate how they approach recreating the period. The goal to be as authentic as is possible has led many serious reenactment societies to set up their own research groups to verify their knowledge of the uniforms, drill and all aspects of the life that they strive to portray. In this way reenactment plays a vital role in bringing history to life, keeping history alive, and in expanding

6240-487: The human race. Storytellers inhabit the characters of the tale, while still maintaining the status as narrator of the events, they are both first person and third person perspectives in one. Storytelling can help bring historical and cultural context to works of art, dinosaur bones, scientific and historical objects. For this reason some museums will hire a contract storyteller to add depth and experience to exhibitions or programs by spinning children's tales, appearing as

6336-813: The knowledge and understanding of the period. In the UK a number of small publishing houses have been established that particularly publish books about the English Civil War and earlier periods. The largest are Stuart Press (with around 250 volumes in print) and Partizan Press. Little has been published about reenactment in the mainstream market, except for press articles. One exception is the book I Believe in Yesterday: My Adventures in Living History by Tim Moore , which recounts his experiences trying out different periods of reenactment,

6432-613: The late 19th century, both in Britain and America. Within a year of the Battle of the Little Bighorn , survivors of U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment reenacted the scene of their defeat for the camera as a series of still poses. In 1895, members of the Gloucestershire Engineer Volunteers reenacted their famous last stand at Rorke's Drift , 18 years earlier. A force of 25 British soldiers beat back

6528-407: The latter routinely use museum professionals and trained interpreters to help convey the story of history to the public, some museums and historic sites employ living history groups with high standards of authenticity for the same role at special events. Living histories are usually meant for education of the public. Such events do not necessarily have a mock battle but instead are aimed at portraying

6624-474: The life, and more importantly the lifestyle, of people of the period. This often includes both military and civilian impressions. Occasionally, storytelling or acting sketches take place to involve or explain the everyday life or military activity to the viewing public. More common are craft and cooking demonstrations, song and leisure activities, and lectures. Combat training or duels can also be encountered even when larger combat demonstrations are not present. In

6720-547: The life, and more importantly the lifestyle, of people of the period. This often includes both military and civilian impressions. Occasionally, storytelling or acting sketches take place to involve or explain the everyday life or military activity to the viewing public. More common are craft and cooking demonstrations, song and leisure activities, and lectures. Combat training or duels can also be encountered even when larger combat demonstrations are not present. There are different styles of living history, each with its own fidelity to

6816-478: The listener, which makes for a deeper, more complex, and complete awareness of the natural world. Dance and music performance within museum theatre take on many different forms. While they can be used separately, dance and music are also used in conjunction with other forms of museum theatre, including each other, to enhance the visitor’s experience. Music as either an instrumental or vocal performance should be performed by qualified performers. The same goes for

6912-420: The making of the film Gettysburg , actor Sam Elliott , who portrayed Union General John Buford in the film, said of reenactors: I think we're really fortunate to have those people involved. In fact, they couldn't be making this picture without them; there's no question about that. These guys come with their wardrobe, they come with their weaponry. They come with all the accoutrements, but they also come with

7008-431: The musician and ask question. Dance performance, presented on its own is unusual. It is often used in addition to or as a part of another museum theatre piece. There are however a few sole dance performances in museums. The Weisman holds a performance entitled Eddy that uses the museum building itself as the stage. To help visitors look at the building differently, the dancers move through the space walking up walls, using

7104-486: The nineteenth century, historical reenactments became widespread, reflecting the then intense Romantic interest in the Middle Ages . Medieval culture was widely admired as an antidote to the modern enlightenment and industrial age . Plays and theatrical works (such as Ivanhoe , which in 1820 was playing in six different productions in London alone) perpetuated the romanticism of knights, castles, feasts, and tournaments. The Duke of Buckingham staged naval battles from

7200-443: The outer appearance of the uniformed female reenactor is flawless, her participation is deemed unacceptable by most male reenactors." Some reenactments more recently have allowed women to participate as combatants as long as their appearance can pass as male from a specified distance. Reenactors may be accused of being, or actually be, aligned with the political beliefs that some of the reenacted armies fought for, such as Nazism or

7296-475: The past from the vantage point of the present; "We are not past but present people, with experience, knowledge, feelings, and aims previously unknown," writes Lowenthal, and however impeccably we attempt to bring back the past, everything is filtered through our modern lens and senses. Further, others worry that the focus on historical accuracy in the details, such as dress, obscure the broader historical themes that are critical for audiences to understand; this worry

7392-421: The past in their daily lives, while simultaneously viewing the place where they often encounter history – the school – with varying levels of distrust and disconnectedness. Living history can be a tool used to bridge the gap between school and daily life to educate people on historical topics. Living history is not solely an objective retelling of historical facts. Its importance lies more in presenting visitors with

7488-438: The past. Rather than confining the production of historical narratives to academia, some argue that this "history from below" provides an important public service to educating the public about past events, serving to "enliven history for millions who turn a blind or bored eye on monuments and museums." Other historians critique the anachronisms present in reenactment and cite the impossibility of truly retrieving and reproducing

7584-714: The past. "Third-person" interpreters take on the dress and work in a particular period style, but do not take on personas of past people; by taking this style, they emphasize to audiences the differences between past and present. "Second-person" interpreters take on historical personae to an extent, engaging audiences to participate in period activities, such as soap-making or churning butter, thus restaging historical episodes with their spectators. Finally, "First-person" interpreters "feign previous folk 'from outward appearances to innermost beliefs and attitudes,' pretending not to know anything of events past their epoch, and engaging with audiences using antiquated dialects and mannerisms. In

7680-404: The people he meets, and things he learns whilst doing so. Motion picture and television producers often turn to reenactment groups for support; films like Gettysburg , Glory , The Patriot , and Alatriste benefited greatly from the input of reenactors, who arrived on set fully equipped and steeped in knowledge of military procedures, camp life, and tactics. In a documentary about

7776-479: The performance of bringing history to life for the general public in a manner that in most cases is not following a planned script. Historical presentation includes a continuum from well researched attempts to recreate a known historical event for educational purposes, through representations with theatrical elements, to competitive events for purposes of entertainment. The line between amateur and professional presentations at living history museums can be blurred. While

7872-546: The performance of bringing history to life for the general public in a rather freewheeling manner. The players are less confined in their actions, but often have to stay at a certain place or building. Historical presentation includes a continuum from well-researched attempts to recreate a known historical event for educational purposes, through representations with theatrical elements, to competitive events for purposes of entertainment. The line between amateur and professional presentations at living history museums can be blurred, as

7968-550: The period backdrop for early 1800s life depicted in the Mystery Mardi Gras Shipwreck documentary. Many publications have covered historical reenactment and living history. Prominent among these are the Camp Chase Gazette , Smoke and Fire News, and two different magazines named Living History , and Skirmish Magazine . The Medieval Soldier by Gerry Embleton and John Howe (1995) is

8064-492: The present represents that past." There are a number of criticisms made about reenactment. Many point out that the average age of reenactors is generally far higher than the average age of soldiers in most conflicts. Few reenactment units discriminate based on age and physical condition. In the United States, reenactors are overwhelmingly white. In Civil War reenactments, African-American characters, both enslaved and free, are underrepresented. In 2013, five black reenactors at

8160-423: The public or their own members in particular areas of history, such as clothing styles, pastimes and handicrafts, or to simply convey a sense of the everyday life of a certain period in history. Living history's approach to gain authenticity is less about replaying a certain event according to a planned script as in other reenactment fields. It is more about an immersion of players in a certain era , to catch, in

8256-594: The reenactment community of what were the most common types of military troops in the period being reenacted. The question has arisen among North American reenactors, but similar issues exist in Europe. For example, in Britain, a high proportion of Napoleonic War reenactors perform as members of the 95th Rifles (perhaps due to the popularity of the fictional character of Richard Sharpe ), and medieval groups have an over-proportion of plate-armoured soldiers. Some veterans have criticized military reenactment as glorifying "what

8352-588: The sense of Walter Benjamin the "spiritual message expressed in every monument's and every site's own 'trace' and 'aura ' ", even in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction . An early example of the spiritual and futuristic side of living history can be found in Guido von List 's book Der Wiederaufbau von Carnuntum (1900), which suggested rebuilding the Roman Carnuntum military camp in Vienna's neighborhood as

8448-415: The spectacle for the public). Unlike battle reenactments, tactical battle events are generally not open to the public. Tactical battle scenarios are games in which both sides come up with strategies and maneuvering tactics to beat their opponents. With no script, a basic set of agreed-upon rules (physical boundaries, time limit, victory conditions, etc.), and on-site judges, tactical battles can be considered

8544-439: The strictest sense; the battles are planned out beforehand so that the companies and regiments make the same actions that were taken in the original battles. The mock battles are often "fought" at or near the original battle ground or at a place very similar to the original. These demonstrations vary widely in size from a few hundred fighters to several thousand, as do the arenas used (getting the right balance can often make or break

8640-421: The stuff in their head and the stuff in their heart. Historians' perspectives on the genre of historical reenactment is mixed. On the one hand, some historians cite reenactment as a way for ordinary people to understand and engage with the narratives about the past in ways that academic history fails to do—namely, that it presents straightforward and entertaining narratives, and allows people to more fully "embody"

8736-488: The weeks following a far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia at which a neo-Nazi killed a counterprotester, some reenactors complained about—as one reporter put it—"the co-opting of the [Civil] war by neo-Nazis." First-person interpretation Museum theatre is the use of theatre and theatrical techniques by a museum for educational, informative, and entertainment purposes. It can also be used in

8832-467: The word "farb" (and the derivative adjective "farby") is unknown, though it appears to date to early American Civil War centennial reenactments in 1960 or 1961. Some think that the word derives from a truncated version of "Far be it from authentic". An alternative definition is "Far Be it for me to question/criticise", or "Fast And Researchless Buying". A humorous definition of "farb" is "F.A.R.B: Forget About Research, Baby". Some early reenactors assert

8928-426: The word derives from German Farbe , color, because inauthentic reenactors were over-colorful compared with the dull blues, greys or browns of the real Civil War uniforms that were the principal concern of American reenactors at the time the word was coined. According to Burton K. Kummerow, a member of "The Black Hats, CSA" reenactment group in the early 1960s, he first heard it used as a form of fake German to describe

9024-402: Was a deliberate act of Romanticism and drew 100,000 spectators. The ground chosen for the tournament was low, almost marshy, with grassy slopes rising on all sides. Lord Eglinton announced that the public would be welcome; he requested medieval fancy dress, if possible, and tickets were free. The pageant itself featured thirteen medieval knights on horseback. It was held on a meadow at a loop in

9120-440: Was attempting "to be a living reenactment of the literary romances". In Eglinton's own words "I am aware of the manifold deficiencies in its exhibition—more perhaps than those who were not so deeply interested in it; I am aware that it was a very humble imitation of the scenes which my imagination had portrayed, but I have, at least, done something towards the revival of chivalry". Reenactments of battles became more commonplace in

9216-457: Was supported by large museums and scholars, and since 2000 has largely coined the image of early history in Germany and worldwide. Among others, a paper with the programmatic title Under the crocheted Swastika, Germanic Living History and rightwing affects started the dispute in 2009. On the other hand, Communist Eastern Germans had problems with accepting "Indianistic" living history reenactors,

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