Visigoths roamed the region this week. Michael Way of the Theatre Workshop in Wexford was assembling a band of "re-enactment warriors" modelled on the Visigoths, the fifth-century Germanic barbarians similar to the Vandals and the Huns, whose traditional form of recreation appeared to be to sack outposts of the Roman Empire.
Within the Theatre Workshop Michael runs INCA Film Support Services, which has built up something of a reputation for supplying extras, in period, for film and commercials.
Last year, he says, he supplied "hairy Mollies" to a production company at short notice for the making of the movie St Patrick, starring Patrick Bergin. That led to his being contacted recently by another production company looking for 50 hirsute males to play the Visigoths.
Michael has several people on his books, including actors from the Theatre Workshop. But he also uses "re-enactors" to help fill a cast of many.
Re-enactors are those who go out at weekends in costume and re-enact various battles from history for the entertainment of the public.
On this occasion Michael's actors and re-enactors were required for an American TV commercial for a new credit card.
"The setting is around these two American-looking houses. The husband in one house goes out a few days before Christmas and returns home to find a fierce bunch of Visigoths coming screaming over the hill towards his house, where his wife is looking on in horror," explains Michael.
His wife shouts at him Capitol Visa card and, on seeing it, the Visigoths stop their onslaught and attack the house next door instead.
Anyone who would like to be considered for future hair-raising opportunities should contact Michael at 086-8281698.
