COSTUMED INTERPRETATION
I have thirty years of experience as a reenactor, costumed interpretor and living historian
History you can handle…
By using accurate replicas of original artifacts it is possible to allow the public to touch, hold, and even wear them, interacting with them in ways that they simply cannot with most museum exhibits.
History that you can see…
As well as being able to see the past up close, rather than within a glass case, costumed interpretation brings the artifacts to life. People can see how the objects of the past were used, worn and worked.
History you can explain…
It is not enough to simply describe and display the objects of the past, they can only really be understood in the context of their time.
In my presentations I combine explanation of the practicalities of the weapons and armour with the stories, beliefs and culture of those who wore it.
History you can question…
Engaging with the public directly is a central part of my activities as a costumed interpretor. Answering their questions makes me look at the history afresh, and I often come away with new insights as a result of the conversations.
Whilst my heart is medieval…
I also have a long history of working in the seventeenth-century.
I have presented solo as an individual musketeer, and with a number of others as an officer in charge of a body of infantry.
As with my medieval presentations, I weave explanations of the dress and weapons with the history of the period, and the motivations and beliefs of those who bore them.