Ref. 12072ALTHOUGH director Rhys Young always goes for authenticity in his shows, the sword fight in his current production of The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew at the Wharf Theatre in Devizes got too realistic for comfort during the dress rehearsal last week.

Kevin Smith as the show's hero, Sir Oblong Fitz-Oblong, was engaged in a sword duel with John Scheurmier as the evil Squire Blackheart when things got slightly out of hand.

Mr Young explained: "With ten minutes to go before the end of the first act, there is a rather dramatic sword fight, employing swords made of real metal so that the noise is realistic when they collide.

"The scene was in its last few seconds when the penultimate choreographed blow from the Squire caught Sir Oblong on the head just at the hair line as he was exiting backward through the centre archway.

"He immediately came back onstage, bleeding profusely, with a very concerned John right behind him, and my assurances that it would all be OK, as these things usually look worse than they are, were somewhat undermined by the stage manager shouting, 'get a bucket to catch the blood'!"

Kevin was patched up at Devizes Hospital and, trouper that he is, was on stage for the first night on Friday.

Mr Young said: "While I do aim for realism in my shows, real blood by the bucketful was not part of the plan."

The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew continues at the Wharf Theatre until Saturday.