Based on a series of classes and workshops, Actors on Guard provides actors, directors, and technicians with the skills and knowledge essential to presenting safe and effective fights, both on the stage and on film. It deals specifically with the use of the single rapier and the dagger, the most popular weapons used in staged fights. Illustrations are provided to clarify descriptions of movement, and show the proper placement of the body and blade. In addition to its focus on technique and the choreography of fights, the text also outlines the history of sword play and the masters of fence. Actors on Guard also provides a chronology of swords, identifies all the parts and pieces of the sword, and details proper care, cleaning and handling.