Reviews and Critical Acclaim for
The Academy of the Sword
Winner
of the 1998 Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle
Outstanding Achievement Award
Fight Direction - Romeo & Juliet
ARTICLES
REVIEWS
ZORRO
Smuin's zesty
'Zorro' will swash your buckle Zorro Is Whip Cracking Fun
"And if the composer seems on first impression a bit too fond of
"West Side Story," his ballet score also boasts passages of sheer
musical delight. The sword fights and umbrella fights are among these, cast with
both men and women coached in fencing within an inch of their lives by Richard
Lane. The ending, a coup de theatre that will not be given away
here, is guaranteed to bring smiles to the most jaded dance lovers." - San
Francisco Chronicle, May 5, 2003
"One cannot avoid mention of one main highlight of this production. Thanks to the efforts and dedication of Richard Lane, every Smuin dancer fences at some point in "Zorro", and that alone is reason to watch the show. To his credit the fencing scenes are believable. Also to his credit is the safety of all of the dancers after all the clanging metal and close- (although choreographed) calls." - CriticalDance.com, May 2, 2003
THE ROYAL FAMILY
"One of the plays most memorable bits begins the second act, when (Aloysius) Gigl and Michael DeGood (TheatreWorks' 'Equus') lock foils in a fencing bout that moves from the second to the first floor.
Directed by Richard J. Lane, the fight sequence adds even more zip to the eccentric proceedings, especially with the beautifully choreographed move where Gigl uses his foil to disarm DeGood. When Gigl knocks DeGood's foil from his hands, the weapon flies over Gigl's head and lands behind him, where Hector Correa, who plays the domestic Jo, catches it with the same sense of urgency with which one would snatch up a set of keys." - San Jose Mercury News, March 28, 1997
MAN OF LA MANCHA
"The scenes in which Aldonza is harassed - and, ultimately raped, by the crowd of men are extremely well done. The brutality is realistic and disturbing." - San Mateo Times, March 5, 1997
EQUUS
"...with dead-on equine movements from choreographer Richard Lane, the six horses come to full haunting life. The blinding scene, augmented by the circular lighting scheme, leaves you with images that may play back in your head for weeks after." - The Palo Alto Weekly, June 28, 1996
ROMEO AND JULIET
" The fight scenes are inventively, energetically and compellingly staged." - The San Francisco Examiner, April 21, 1998
"...this is a production that is filled with violent clashes (extraordinary fight choreography by The Academy of the Sword)..." - Aisle Say, April 27, 1998
"Particularly impressive are the fight scenes (designed by Richard Lane, who also choreographed "The Rose Tattoo" at the American Conservatory Theatre). Even during the flawed moments, the swashbuckling fight scenes help stab some life into the production." - The Foghorn (University Of San Francisco), November 14, 1996
"The fight scenes were great. Sonoma Vintage Theatre brought in Richard Lane of The Academy Of The Sword to teach the actors the art of swashbuckling. "Good job" to whoever made that decision." - The Sonoma Index-Tribune, August 26, 1994
RICHARD III
"...the battle scenes generate genuine excitement, enhanced by the armored costumes and the fight direction of Richard Lane." - The Marin Independent Journal, August 1, 1995
AS YOU LIKE IT
"Fight Director Richard Lane needs no TV magic to make these pro-wrestling antics seem convincing." - San Francisco Chronicle, January, 17, 1995
"The ensuing match, directed by Richard Lane, is the most realistic enactment of bone-crunching and over-the-shoulder slams to the floor I've ever seen." - San Francisco Bay Times, January 26, 1995
"But two production elements stood out: the best wrestling match I've seen (choreographed by Richard Lane)..." - San Jose Mercury News, January 18, 1995
"Forget Hulk Hogan! The opening wrestling match between young Orlando and the usurper Duke's champion was both more hilarious and realistic than anything you'll see on TV. Three falls to fight director Richard Lane." - The San Mateo Times, January 19, 1995
THE BALLET: ROMEO AND JULIET
"And the melee scene in the opening act in which all these men perform with rapiers moves along with great style and a sense of spontaneity... Richard Lane as a rather bloodthirsty Lord Montague." - Sacramento Bee, February 19, 1995
HONOR SONG FOR CRAZY HORSE
"Even their great victory over Little Big Horn, which ends Act 1 in a stylized manner that is one of the high points of the show..." - The Country Almanac, May 11, 1994
"...Fight Choreographer Richard Lane's slow-motion, Peckinpahesque action sequences are particular standouts." - San Jose Metro, May, 1994
"..elicits empathy and regret with his skillful, and occasionally brilliant, staging of such scenes as the massacre at the Lakota camp and especially Crazy Horse's endless showdown with a "waischu" (white man) who keeps rising from the dead." - Palo Alto Weekly, May 6, 1994
THE ROVER
"...and Fight Director Richard Lane (executive director of the Academy Of The Sword and a teacher with the Society Of American Fight Directors), who have done an excellent job. This is an athletic show with many bodies swirling on the stage. The sword play is quite realistic." - Palo Alto Times, January 23, 1993
"The sword fights are well-executed and contain welcome slapstick, as do all the scenes in the play. The women are never beaten, but deliver their own fair share of kicks and slugs." - Peninsula Time Tribune, January 19, 1993
HENRY IV
"Those in this production, choreographed by Richard Lane, are fine spectacles and underscore the play's themes of the waste and false assumptions attached to military valor. Still, it's a bit unsettling when an audience can sit through hours of Shakespeare in seeming indifference, then break into spontaneous applause for a sword fight." "Not surprisingly, the battle scenes (choreographed by Richard Lane of The Academy Of The Sword) were some of the evening's best [scenes] particularly the confrontation of the two young Henrys." - Marin Independent Journal
"In contrast the climatic sword fight between Prince Hal and his rival Hotspur is down and dirty and wonderfully choreographed by Richard Lane. The scene is designed to make audiences cringe with each thrust of a sword and gasp with each blow that is landed. Lane's moves and the actor's execution convincingly illustrate the hostility that brought these two men to engage their armies in civil war."- San Jose Metro
THE OPERA OF ROMEO AND JULIET
"...punched up the action with physicality. Commedia performers from Craigmont High School brought revelry to crowd scenes, a balcony fall especially added suspense and excitement." - The Commercial Appeal, Memphis
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
"... after working with Richard Lane some of the cast look like it rehearsed in a gym." - San Mateo Times, August 6, 1990
Letters To The Editor
"What a great cast and show, the view and set were breathtaking. It had everything: sword fights, comedy, tragedy and great fights."
"From start to finish; this production was chock-full of excitement."
"All of the stage choreography was breathtaking. I think the cast really outdid themselves with the intense fight scenes. I was holding my breath during all of those fights!"
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