Portraying Will Scarlet!

[Will Gamwell]

This coming season at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, I will be playing the part of Will Scarlet and would like your feedback on what you like or dislike about various Will Scarlet portrayals that you have seen.  Movie or in person/Faires.  If you would like to keep your feedback private, you can always PM me.

A little bit about myself & my version of Will as it stands now:
Physicality:
I am 6'1" and about 220lbs.  So I am tending to lean a bit more towards Howard Pyle's version of Will Scarlet.  Broadshoulder, strong.
Costume:
Well, as you can see from my avatar pic, red & black.  I had some debating about costume.  Basically going away from red, but alas I have decided that it is easier for paytrons/playtrons and other actors to recognize me that way.  Rather than getting to constant question of who I am, and having to explain.  Then the next question of "why aren't you wearing red?".

Any questions, just ask.

Thanks!

Sean
Will Scarlet

[William of Armagh]

Greetings Will. we love what we can see of your garb.The portrayals of Will have varied for sure, we like them all !
......anyway we have portrayed Will at the fairs as a playtron, fun.  It would be cool for you to borrow ours for a weekend +
we both are around  6',  so it would fit you great ,    stick with the character , Willamina and will

[Will Gamwell]

Wow!!  Now that is quite a bit of red!  An amazing costume!

Here is the full pic of my costume.  The tights are black, but the reverse side is red.  So when the tights stretch, you see a red hue.

[Becky10]

No Robin hood Men in tights option? 

[Will Gamwell]

No Robin hood Men in tights option? 

LOL!  Added per the Lady's request.

[Rowan MacD]

No Robin hood Men in tights option? 

LOL!  Added per the Lady's request.

It got my vote!  I'm a fan of the lighthearted version of any character.

[Zardoz]

I picked other, I like Owen Teale's version in the 1991 Patrick Bergin "Robin Hood". That version of the story has been my favorite since I first saw it.

http://www.copperlily.com/scarletinside/otherscars.html#Teale

[Lady Christina de Pond]

hey you forgot

Robin hood prince of theives will
and bbc america's robin hood verson of will

[Becky10]

Lol, thank you very much!

So my two cents on this. I personally like the 1938 And Howard Pyle's Will Scarlets the best and from your description it sounds like you can do alot with wither one.  The great thing is because you are broad shoulders and not gangly if you portray more of the 1938 Will Scarlet it will still be very masculine and not gimmicky and goofy but still recognizable.

Now for Pyle's, I really like the outfit you have now and think its a great portrayal! I think some people would just prefer if everyone wore a sign saying who they are and you can't really help that, but maybe just a bit more red detailing can be added so that you have some more red but not too much.  I just cant think of where you would add it right now...(what i usually do is go on a photoshop and add things to my outfits to see what it might look like, or I just drag it down to JoAnns and place things on it.) Anyways, I really do like the look you have going right now and the double layered tights are a really great idea!

[William of Armagh]

greetings Will, thanks for the Wow,   ...........love that Mantle and jerkin, you could also go with
a white shirt and all red tights (this would go well with the black jerkin)

[Will Gamwell]

hey you forgot

Robin hood prince of theives will
and bbc america's robin hood verson of will

Prince of Theives Will is there.  The BBC one, well, the BBC show is off my radar.  So that will have to fall under the category of "Other".

I picked other, I like Owen Teale's version in the 1991 Patrick Bergin "Robin Hood". That version of the story has been my favorite since I first saw it.

http://www.copperlily.com/scarletinside/otherscars.html#Teale

I actually really want to see this movie.  I may have to dig at the local stores and find a copy to watch before the season actually starts.

That and the new Robin Hood movie.  I've heard pros & cons about the movie.  But those that have seen it said they love interaction of the Merry Men (Will, Little John, & Alan).  From the clips I have seen, they are a real hoot!

Sometime today I'll try to make another post about personality & such.  How I see myself portraying Will.

[Capt. Morgan]

I just like Patrick Knowles (the "dandy" Scarlett) By the by, interesting factoid...the horse he (and Olivia) rode in "Adventures of Robin Hood" was none other than "Trigger" then known as "Golden Cloud"

...but here's another one you may not have thought of from the Showtime version "Robin Of Sherwood"

Ray Winstone

http://movies.msn.com/celebrities/celebrity/ray-winstone/?silentchk=1&

He was also used as the computer animated basis for the 2007  "Beowulf"

[Will Gamwell]

...but here's another one you may not have thought of from the Showtime version "Robin Of Sherwood"

Ray Winstone

http://movies.msn.com/celebrities/celebrity/ray-winstone/?silentchk=1&

He was also used as the computer animated basis for the 2007  "Beowulf"

I have heard of that version, but haven't seen it.  Another one I may have to eventually see.

[Capt. Morgan]

I like the series for the mystical aspects...and for the music to be sure! Okay...and Michael Praed! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0Yb7RGykuE

[Will Gamwell]

So costume-wise, I've already touched on that.  I am also working on a second doublet to wear as well.  Which will be green & brown (if it works out . . . kind of my first real sewing project).

Personality-wise, I tend to lean more towards the 1938 The Adventures Of Robin Hood, Men In Tights & Howard Pyle versions of Will.  More light-hearted.  I haven't seen the new Robin Hood movie, but like what I see so far of the characterization.  I plan to play a Will that looks for the fun/adventurous side of stuff.  Not too serious.  Yet bold.  The interaction between the Robin Hood crew at MNRF is already a very fun, witty-banter, slapstick (almost 3 Stooges), type of crew.  I will definately be shying away from any of the jaded, angry aspects of the hollywood versions of Will.

Another key note is that I am a member of The Dueling Grounds (http://www.theduelinggrounds.com/) which is a stage combat LLC based here in the Twin Cities area (Minneapolis/St. Paul) and will be a participant in several fights on street.

Thanks for your comments so far.  Keep them coming if you have them.

Sean
Will Scarlet