John Waller Offers Insider Look at The Royal Armouries
We are thrilled to have another interview lined up in the UK. On this trip we’ll be spending time with John Waller and his son, Jonathan Waller for an in-depth interview and demonstration with these masters of sword choreography and stage combat. More details on Waller: John is the Creative Director of the Royal Armouries Museum, a published writer and a brilliant Hollywood fight choreographer. A few of his film credits include: “Robin Hood”, “First Knight”, and “Mary Queen of Scots”. For 19 years John taught Stage Combat at Guildhall School of Drama and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. His choreography has appeared at both The Globe and Royal National Theatre. His credits include: Film -Robin Hood; First Knight; Monty Python and the Holy Grail; Legend; Ladder of Swords; Anne of the Thousand Days; Mary Queen of Scots; Pass of Arms.
Television – Pride and Prejudice; Black Arrow; Elizabeth R; Bleak House; By the Sword Divided; Iphigenia at Aulis; 2002 Warrior School for channel 5
Opera – Several seasons for the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Kent Opera, The Buxton festival and Opera North, including Tosca 2002 and 2003
Theatre – Productions at the Royal Court Theatre, The Globe, Liverpool Playhouse, West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Oxford Stage Company, and Royal National Theatre. Productions include Richard III, William Tell, Macbeth, Singing in the Rain The Crucible, Julius Ceasar, and As You Like It.
Education- For 19 years John taught Stage Combat at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Arts Educational School and the Drama Studio. Currently, he is a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. John is the Creative Director of the Royal Armouries Museum and teaches stage combat at The London Academy of Theatre and Rutgers University Program.
Books- Sword fighting: A manual for Actors and Directors; Blood Red Roses a book about the battle of Towton, including chapters on archery and combat techniques.
Television- Pride and Prejudice- BBC; Five Children and It- BBC; Timewatch; The Birth of Europe; Nature by Design- BBC; Arms in Action- The History Channel; Warrior School- Channel Five
Theater- King Lear- Shakespeare’s Globe; Troy- Royal National Theatre Studio; Hamlet- The Oxford Stage Company; Henry V and Macbeth- Tour de Force; The Wedding Party- Sphinx Theatre; Romeo and Juliet, Richard II, Edward II and Richard III – Shakespeare’s Globe