Recent podcast about Reenacting

[Greg Adams]

Good morning everyone,

Here's a link to a podcast that I thought was gripping, entertaining, and informative. See what you think and how it relates to what we do here: http://backstoryradio.org/been-there-done-that-historical-reenactme...

Best regards,

Greg

[Ian Bell]

Thank for the link Greg. That was a good listen. My off-the-cuff reaction is that we're a lot like the baseball players.  The indicators for success are similar for both, and in definitely easier to gauge than those for recreations of  "life and death" events like battles. Like the ball players we're creating a new experience while still playing by the old rules (as best we can). With music and baseball — now or then — I'd guess the indicators for success would be that we create and enjoyable moment for ourselves and anyone who happens to be watching/listening. It seems to me that the indicators of success for a real vs re-enacted battle are quite different. Don't know where this leaves things like agricultural processes. I used to do a lot of that when I worked at a living history site, but I'm pretty sure I would have starved if I hadn't gone home for dinner every night.

[Al Smitley]

I finished my 10th season of vintage base ball a month ago.  If you attend a match, you will see a game that "resembles" the one played in the 1860s.  There are a lot of things that are different.  I doubt anyone would be interested but if inclined, I could send them a 19-page report on the differences between the 1860s game and the way most vintage clubs play it.  Frankly, if we played the game as it was played in the 1860s, it is doubtful that many clubs would exist and very few spectators would attend.  Who would want to play/watch a game for 4-5 hours while up to 100 runners (from one team) cross the plate?!  Scores in the late 1860s when the bound rule was no longer in effect often had scores like 53-36, but I've seen some with one club scoring 100 tallies.

Some of the things that vintage clubs incorporate are simply to make it more fun and unique and have little or nothing to do with authenticity.  Though I have respect for authenticity, I'd much rather play the game we play.

Perhaps there is a parallel with minstrel banjo in there, somewhere.