Chapter 11The Illusion of Violence
The theatre is not concerned with reality: it is only concerned with truth.
Jean-Paul Sartre
The Disappearing Knap
If there is one technique that sets stage combat apart from any other discipline it is the use of the knap. The knap is an integral part of any given technique that involves a non-contact strike between performers. Practicing the knap to get just the right sound for a given moment and make it repeatable in performance takes time and care when considering the elements of volume and quality of sound for a strike. However, all of this good work in creating a full, vivid, and resonant moment of violence can disappear if the hands of the performer seem to do something unusual or unnatural. We must ...
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