[SML] Actor almost hanged

[Keith Arsenault]

I’ve done similar on a couple of occasions . . 

cut and bind the rope where it re enters the “knot” and use the round velcro “dots”  to hold it together internally . . 

will ALWAYS break away easily . . 

won’t do it any other way . . . . 


Keith Arsenault
iaeg.sml at gmail.com

813 831 3465  office
813 205 0893  cellular


"The only difference between myself and a madman is that I am not mad"
   Salvador Dali

On Feb 5, 2016, at 9:38 AM, Steven Mclean via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:

> Good call.
> 
> We glued heavy-duty Velcro to the ends of rope just at the knot to
> create such a breakaway when a noose was to be placed around
> Hermione’s neck for our production of Winter's Tale. The actress was
> standing on a trap-door at the time that was to be triggered by the
> hangman in a fit of spite after Hermione was given her reprieve and
> left the stage (this was just before she dies anyway of a broken
> heart, only to return aged many years later as a statue of her
> miraculously comes to life during the Deus ex Machina ending that
> Shakespeare contrived for the play)
> 
> The trap was actually triggered by a technician below, while the
> noose, visible rope and another 30 or 40 feet more of rope to boot,
> fell from overhead into the open trap.  The trap was then shut again
> and the stage was clear for the next scene.  The most effective and
> dramatic moment of the whole play IMO.  BTW, our bear was not
> visible...but the moment was silly anyway.
> 
> -- 
> Steven J McLean
> steve.mclean at simpson.edu
> designandtechtheatre.wordpress.com
> 
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