Bunfight erupts at the OK Corral

The streets where Wyatt Earp and his "posse" reached for their Colt 45s during the infamous Gunfight at the OK Corral are once more being disturbed by battling troupes of rival gunslingers.

In Tombstone, Arizona, a bitter row has broken out over the right to perform historic re-enactments of the shoot-out, which took place in 1881 and was later immortalised by Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and countless Hollywood stars.

The battle once more pits mercenary cowboys against the forces of law and order. It has been brewing since before Christmas, when a new mayor strode into town and promptly banned actors from performing on his streets without a permit. Dusty Escapule, elected by Tombstone's 1500 residents, enacted the law to curb fallings-out between groups of actors who have for decades trawled the town's main drag in Wild West costume to entice tourists to their shows.

The move was prompted by criticism of the Huckleberry Players, a troupe which began performing in the former mining town three years ago, and had upset local storekeepers and the organisers of less-successful rival shows by allegedly "poaching" customers.

It first made headlines in January, when four costumed members of the Huckleberry Players were accosted by Tombstone's marshal Larry Talvy while attempting to persuade a group of tourists to attend their show, which is staged at the very OK Corral of Earp's shoot-out. They were charged with "organising an illegal street performance", a crime that carries a sentence of up to two years in jail and a fine of US$600 ($1017).

However the case, which has yet to reach court, has become a cause celebre in Tombstone's dusty streets, many of which are closed to traffic and still contain the historic buildings which bore witness to the shoot-out 127 years ago.

To their critics and competitors, the Huckleberry Players were flagrantly ignoring the law in a manner akin to that of the infamous Clanton and McLaury brothers, the notorious ne'er-do-wells gunned down by Earp and his colleagues.

But many other locals say the Huckleberry Players, who perform at 4.30pm, help keep tourists in town later in the day. Their show, which features professional actors, is also credited with persuading many punters to stop in Tombstone in the first place.

"Pulling these guys off the street when the tourists love it is like stabbing yourself in the foot," said Jaye Kukowski, the owner of a local attraction.

Stephen Keith, who founded the Huckleberry Players, claims that rival performers with no theatre experience simply didn't like veterans making their shows look amateurish.

- INDEPENDENT