Coined in the late 20th century by American

stunt performer A stunt performer, often called a stuntman or stuntwoman and occasionally stuntperson or stunt-person, is a trained professional who performs daring acts, often as a career. Stunt performers usually appear in films or on television, as opposed ...

Kent Shelton, the term theatrical jousting refers to a form of live entertainment in which a medieval

jousting Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two horse riders wielding lances with blunted tips, often as part of a tournament. The primary aim was to replicate a clash of heavy cavalry, with each participant trying to strike the opponen ...

tournament is recreated in conjunction with a scripted performance. Alternative terms are "jousting reenactment" or "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. Stavrakis, ...

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. In 2022, the faire celebrated its 45th season. The faire comprises permanent structures and has twenty stages and more than 100 shops. ...

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

renaissance fair A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire or Renaissance festival is an outdoor gathering open to the public and typically commercial in nature, which purportedly recreates a historical setting for the amusement of its guests. Some are permanent the ...

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" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. '' Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a charact ...

ous or

hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ''actor''), ''her ...

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 knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. 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/or property 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