Introduction to the two styles of Living History

Costumed historical interpretation falls into two main categories; "Third Person" and "First Person" interpretation. When we describe the past as the past, we are using third person interpretation.With third person interpretation, you are an educator or lecturer expounding on people, events, places or things and answering questions from the perspective of the present. Sometimes in attire of the period you are talking about, sometimes not, you are a guide or a facilitator for discussion of some past event. Third person interpretation uses phrases such as "they did", "they would have", and "they used".

In "first person" interpretation, you educate and facilitate discussion from the perspective of the past. You are dressed in period attire. You assume the role of a person from the past and converse from the perspective of the past. You portray a person who does not yet know how things are going to turn out. First-person interpretation recreates the daily activities, thoughts, and behavior of a person who would have lived in the past. First-person interpreters use phrases such as "I do", "I will" and "I use" while educating the public. The interpreters behave in a fashion that evokes, as closely as possible, the behavior, folkways, customs, beliefs, activities, speech, religion, technology, dress, deportment and contemporary perspectives of the people they represent. First-person interpreters make conversation rather than speeches and monologues; dialogue is improvised based on historical sources.

Sometimes in a lecture format, a 1st person portrayal may be accomplished in "Chautauqua" style. Without getting into the history of Chautauqua in general, it has come to mean a 1st person portrayal where the first third of the presentation is done as the character from the past. It is essentially a lecture format with or without props. The second third of the presentation is still done as the character from the past, but it is done as a question and answer (Q&A) period with the audience. In the final part of the presentation, the character portrayal is dropped and presentation reverts to the present. This is a Q& A with the audience allowing the presenter to provide insight and context that the historic character would not have known.

At a public living history event you can play with combinations of the two forms, but generally it's better to just do one or the other at a single event. If you're going to an event with a mixture of the two, it's best for the "first person" interpreters to be identified in some way, so the audience understands that they are different. If you need to break character, one common technique is to remove a hat or perform some other physical gesture like taking a step sideways as you explain to your audience that you are now going to step into the present to answer their question. Once the explanation is completed, you should do the same physical gesture in reverse, explaining that you are now returning to the past.

Something that really detracts from an event is a mixture of "1st person" re-enactors dropping in and out of character without warning, while others maintain character throughout the event. If you're going to do a "1st person" portrayal, it's most effective to stay in character when you're in view of the public.

If you have been to Disneyland, you have seen this principle in action. The costumed characters never drop their character while in public view. If they need a break, they go "off stage". The illusion remains consistent. Disney is a corporate owned private park and can fire employees for breaking character. Living history events usually can not. Most reenactors are volunteers and since a majority of these events are open to the public, you can't control walk-ins. You can attempt to coach participants, but in the end you have to live with what you get. As a re-enactor, the only person you can control is yourself.

Though in general terms, no one method of interpretation is necessarily superior to another and the interpretation of a novice can be as valid as that of a twenty year veteran, the organizers of an event have a responsibility to clearly communicate expectations and set the stage for an event. Unless you are doing a solo performance, you shouldn't just go your own way. Your portrayal should complement the ensemble.
Taken from an Article written by John Salicco at www.therewasatime.net