Equestrian Stunt Display Team

Medieval Jester & Festival Entertainer

Famed for his wit, skill and humor, the fool is the highlight of any medieval event, using walkabout routines and stage shows to bind together the different parts of an event by turning strangers into friends through the universal language of laughter.

Enter DevilStick Peat, Medieval Jester & Festival Entertainer. A fool par excellence. Peat has been performing at Banquets, festivals and re-enactments for 30 years. During this time he has built up an amazing and unique set of comic magic and juggling routines specially designed to transport your spectators to a time when kings ruled, dragons roared, and the fool, with his wit and skill, had them all eating out of the palm of his hand.

Although Peat’s show has been specially designed with medieval events in mind he’s skill is such that it can and has proved to be a crowd drawing attraction at all types of events, including Europe’s biggest medieval events as well as some of England’s largest country fairs. Peat's show can and has worked just as well at small village festivals as it does at Glastonbury festival.

His show, “the complete fool” uses a mixture of authentic medieval skills, stage magic and the quick wit of a modern stand-up comic to bring you some of the very best family entertainment you’ll see anywhere.

When not performing his stage show, Peat can be seen strolling about your event using his various routines to both amaze and amuse members of the public, occasionally stopping to perform quick mini shows that leave the whole family feeling that he performed just for them. DevilStick Peat also has the perfect background for his show, in the form of his medieval encampment.

DevilStick Peat provides us with so much more than ‘jester jester’…… I mean just a jester! His authentic medieval encampment comprises of up to 4 period tents of various shapes and sizes and all the paraphernalia you’d expect to find in a jester’s camp. This not only makes an excellent back drop for his shows, but also adds to the public’s suspension of disbelief, and is manned (or should that read “womaned”) by his long suffering wife and fellow fool, Jester Dragonfly.

The Watermill Wolves acting team have graced screen and print for many years, featuring in productions such as ‘Vikings’, ‘Ripper Street’ and ‘Penny Dreadful’, and in magazine features including ‘Vogue’ and ‘Marie Claire’.

The Watermill Wolves acting team are a specially selected pack of wolfdogs – carefully bred for many generations to be the ‘best of both’ – to retain the natural poise, power and elegance of the wolf, combined with the best social and trainable temperaments.

Several generations of Watermill Wolves have called the Sussex Centre home – they live as part of the family, alongside humans and even other small dogs.

For many years, under the guidance of their ‘mum’, behaviourist and trainer Natalie Lagstrom, they have taken part in a wide range of roles – from acting and modelling to conservation ambassadors and educators.

Most people have seen bird-of-prey demonstration, but The Falconry School's is somewhat different. Firstly, as the name implies, he uses a team mostly comprising experienced falcons. These are the most exciting of all the raptor families and the most dashing of the falcons is the peregrine, which is rarely seen in public displays. This is officially the world’s fastest living creature, which can attain speeds of well over 200 mph in a “stoop” or dive.

The Falconry School has numbers of falcons, including peregrines and by the use of both ancient falconry methods and modern devices and techniques he endeavours to show the glorious flying abilities of the falcon.

In addition, there is an educational side to the display, with entertaining information about individual birds, on the history of the sport and uses for falconry in modern times. The displays are also interactive, with adult audience volunteers being allowed to handle and parade the falcons, and children flying others from hand to hand within the arena in perfect safety.

They also provide displays at a wide variety of venues throughout Britain and, from time to time, other EU countries. The aim of the displays is to educate the audience about birds of prey in general, their place in the natural world, and the history of their interactivity with mankind through the sport of falconry.

Members of the public often seem to only remember a show because some of the hawks are lost during the show. The aim with the displays is that the audience will remember the actual flights of the falcons and hawks instead! There is a stand with static display of hawks and falcons, and personnel will be on hand to answer questions throughout the day. Flying demos will have audience participation and commentary, and we would venture to say that it will be the most interesting display of flying that the audience will have seen at a show.

Viking Re-enactment & Runic Divination

Throughout the event, Saemarr will give demonstrations on the traditional names, meanings and use of runic symbols in Heathen magic and ritual, with a brief introductory description of the 24 rune Elder Futhark and its application in rune divination and Heathen magic.

As the founder of Viking re-enactment in the U.K, he also gives talks on Viking period weapons, demonstrating the main weapons of the Dark Ages and their practical use in Viking re-enactment including their use in today's combat performances. These have spread as a worldwide hobby from his beginnings with a small group in 1971.

Saemarr has studied both of these subjects extensively for many years and at the end of each performance he answers any questions to the best of his ability.

As a special all day activity Saemarr also demonstrates axe and javelin throwing!

Here is an excerpt from Saemarr's rune divination booklet...

The contents of this booklet are not intended to be a history of runic divination or a concise treatise on the subject. They are merely a basic introduction to the practice of rune casting and divining the staves according to the Germanic symbols known as the Elder Futhark, and a selection of related information aimed at helping beginners or those with an interest in this ancient, esoteric skill. The author, a recognised Goði (Priest) of Norse heathenism is a familiar name amongst many groups and individuals, including many Viking period re-enactors, who follow the original deities of our Folk and culture by observing the pre-Christian calendar festivals etc, and attending ritual gatherings throughout the year. Saemarr started studying runes and Norse heathenism around the very early 1970s, at the same time as, but unaware of, three other Heathen movements;
The Odinist Committee (U.K),The Asatru Free assembly (U.S.A) and the Asatruar Felaghið in Iceland.
These burgeoning revivals engendered a sudden literary phenomenon which sprung runes back into the public's attention, resulting in a flood of books on runelore, with its emphasis on Germanic Heathenism, as opposed to the well known traditions such as witchcraft and magic of Celtic Paganism.

For those of you interested in Runology or Viking weapons, Saemarr sells runic talismans, charms and sets of divination kevals. You will see a set of rune kevals and a casting cloth shown below and you can contact him and order through his website, saemarr.weebly.com.

Hammer Dulcimer & Hurdy Gurdy

Damian is on a musical mission is to showcase the Hammer Dulcimer and Hurdy Gurdy, and to improve their appeal to a broad audience. His performances in folk clubs and festivals are an important part of this mission.

His solo concerts are played mostly on the beautiful Hammer Dulcimer with some numbers played on the stirring Hurdy Gurdy,  and include tunes and songs that he encourages audiences to sing along to.  His playing fits into a broad Celtic style, encompassing many traditional numbers from Ireland and the British Isles, as well as his own compositions. He loves a good story song and is keen to show how the oral tradition works in songs by playing some less well-known versions of traditional folk songs.

Damian will enthrall your audiences with the unusual sounds of the Dulcimer.
His concerts are varied, in mood, tone and he loves to get the audience to sing along, to ask questions and even try out the instruments. Because he sings with both instruments, he connects with his audience, telling stories, explaining the context of each song, displaying his love and passion for unusual instruments. 
He is keeping  a tradition alive and you can support him in his endeavours.
https://www.damianclarke.co.uk/