Arts and entertainment
Geoffrey Strubler, 6, defeats Todd Turner, 13,and is ready to fight Joseph Strubler, 5, in a battle with foam swords at the Marche of Gwyntarian's 30th birthday.
It is common to see members of the society laughing, joking and having a good time. Perhaps that is why John Impellizzeri, or John of Southkeep, is so well liked by other members. At the Marche’s 30th anniversary, children flock to him. He welcomes them with tricks and juggling.
“I need to learn how to juggle,” one small girl says from the crowd. “I’m going to start with two balls.”
“That’s a good idea,” Impellizzeri replies. He says he originally joined the society for the combat. “Then I found my true calling — throwing sharp objects at little kids,” he jokes.
By sharp objects, he means the shiny, silver knives he juggles. But the knives aren’t real, even though they fool the crowd. Impellizzeri seems to work for the children, pulling out all the stops for one smile or one laugh.
As he kneels on the ground, he starts by juggling three balls and continues to add more to the mix. He keeps going until the shy little girl in front of him smiles. “Alright, she’s impressed. I got a smile out of her,” he says.
When Impellizzeri drops the balls on the ground, the children are quick to run and pick them up and throw them in the air. Impellizerri does not seem worried. He says his props always find their way back.
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