As the title suggests I would like to be a performer who dies on stage. I don’t mean in reality die, but in the context of the show, dies. You all as people reading this, do you feel that is to over the edge for a performance?
Now before you go writing your opinion on this and that, please understand the context which I’ll explain now. I’d want to be either this year or next, to be a regular performer for a local haunted house. Now I wouldn’t be performing as a normal magician, most likely I’d be performing as a haunt actor. There is a difference. Basically, my character I am designing is going to be over the top goofy and psychotic. He is going to be loud, crack jokes, be dark and sinister, and also have undertones of masochism. In fact most of the effects that he, as a character, would perform start small and end big, possibly a death.
It would probably be a short act I already plan on doing the bean trick (basically a spectator onstage narrating what they see as I snort three beads up the nose and produce two in the mouth, and one through the tear duct.) then I’d probably do something like Saw, Needle or hook through the arm, something to just get the point across that this person has serious issues. Possibly in between effects drink motor oil or bleach, break a bottle and eat it like a piece of candy. Small things that are almost throwaway stunts.
Now all of these effects are only the build up. I’d probably be using these effects to draw attention from the audience, much like how a busker uses smaller tricks to build a crowd. The main effect, which is the part I want your opinion on, is going to be the swallowing of 30-40 razor blades and producing them like a deadly, shimmering with blood and silver, mouth coil. It is also worth noting that this stage will probably be in front of people who are waiting to get into the haunted house. They are in a que line.
Now here is the script I am working on so far for this effect:
I feel it is a bit heavy on the graphics, but I think I can pull it off with an over the top character.
Anyway, please give me your opinion on faking a death onstage?
Also let me just ask this, what do you feel disturbing? What effects would you like to see? I am not looking for marketed effects, I am looking for ideas, your ideas on what would disturb you to see?
Now before you go writing your opinion on this and that, please understand the context which I’ll explain now. I’d want to be either this year or next, to be a regular performer for a local haunted house. Now I wouldn’t be performing as a normal magician, most likely I’d be performing as a haunt actor. There is a difference. Basically, my character I am designing is going to be over the top goofy and psychotic. He is going to be loud, crack jokes, be dark and sinister, and also have undertones of masochism. In fact most of the effects that he, as a character, would perform start small and end big, possibly a death.
It would probably be a short act I already plan on doing the bean trick (basically a spectator onstage narrating what they see as I snort three beads up the nose and produce two in the mouth, and one through the tear duct.) then I’d probably do something like Saw, Needle or hook through the arm, something to just get the point across that this person has serious issues. Possibly in between effects drink motor oil or bleach, break a bottle and eat it like a piece of candy. Small things that are almost throwaway stunts.
Now all of these effects are only the build up. I’d probably be using these effects to draw attention from the audience, much like how a busker uses smaller tricks to build a crowd. The main effect, which is the part I want your opinion on, is going to be the swallowing of 30-40 razor blades and producing them like a deadly, shimmering with blood and silver, mouth coil. It is also worth noting that this stage will probably be in front of people who are waiting to get into the haunted house. They are in a que line.
Now here is the script I am working on so far for this effect:
The performer moves to center stage. Off to the right of the performer is a table with a white table cloth, facing the audience. On top of the table is a treasure chest like box.
Performer: I remember the days I used to trick or treat. Such fond memories, filled with precautionary tales and urban legends. Poison in candy, and razor blades in apples.
The performer opens the chest and grabs hold of a raffia or hemp cord. He pulls it slowly up and reveals an apple that is skewered with many safety razor blades. Ten or 15 possibly.
Performer: It was customary at our house to attach a cord to the apple stem. Don’t want our handsies to get all cut up. My finger doesn’t need to look like the handle bar tassels of a tricycle, right lady? You know folks, I regret sticking with my family traditions and I dearly apologize if you’ve lost a child from one of our tainted treats. But now, it is to your great satisfaction to watch as I swallow these blades and even more.
The performer then removes a glass bowl that has a mix of small candies and even more razor blades. The blades in the apple are collected one by one and put into a small bundle that is fanned for the audience to see.
Performer: Ladies and gentleman, I feel it is fair to warn you. I’ve only performed this effect once previously. Please kids and kids in adult bodies...do not try this anywhere!
As the performer finishes the short disclaimer, the fan of blades are shoved into his mouth. The performer seems to swallow and gag. A look on the performers face, tells the spectators that the performer is in obvious discomfort. Regardless, the performer continues and weakly says, “The show must go on”. He begins to collect twenty or thirty more blades from the glass bowl. He fans them similarly and shoves the bundle into his mouth. A shutter of pain and a dry heave only lead to a bloody spray from the performers mouth, that stain and spatter the white table cloth.
Gagging and in distress, the performer moves to grab the thread to complete the fairly standard effect. He uncoils the thread, drooling bright red blood from his mouth. Messily he swallows the thread, and a series of dry heaves begin again. After a few moments of this, the performer seems to regain a bit of control over himself. His face contorts as bit of the red stained thread appears at his lips. He grabs hold of it with shaky hands and begins to slide the string out of his mouth. Attached to the long piece of thread are the glimmering razors, swallowed prior. The performer attaches one of the produced razors to an apparatus on one side of the stage, that holds the ribbon, err chainsaw, up and in the air. The performer slowly steps back, spewing more blood until the last of the blades are produced. Unceremoniously, the performer sticks the last razor into the apple on the bloody table and staggers offstage. A hard thud could be heard, then the performers legs flop into view. They remain unmoving throughout the entire rest of the night letting the people who where in the que line to the haunted house to wonder about what they had just witnessed.
Fin
Performer: I remember the days I used to trick or treat. Such fond memories, filled with precautionary tales and urban legends. Poison in candy, and razor blades in apples.
The performer opens the chest and grabs hold of a raffia or hemp cord. He pulls it slowly up and reveals an apple that is skewered with many safety razor blades. Ten or 15 possibly.
Performer: It was customary at our house to attach a cord to the apple stem. Don’t want our handsies to get all cut up. My finger doesn’t need to look like the handle bar tassels of a tricycle, right lady? You know folks, I regret sticking with my family traditions and I dearly apologize if you’ve lost a child from one of our tainted treats. But now, it is to your great satisfaction to watch as I swallow these blades and even more.
The performer then removes a glass bowl that has a mix of small candies and even more razor blades. The blades in the apple are collected one by one and put into a small bundle that is fanned for the audience to see.
Performer: Ladies and gentleman, I feel it is fair to warn you. I’ve only performed this effect once previously. Please kids and kids in adult bodies...do not try this anywhere!
As the performer finishes the short disclaimer, the fan of blades are shoved into his mouth. The performer seems to swallow and gag. A look on the performers face, tells the spectators that the performer is in obvious discomfort. Regardless, the performer continues and weakly says, “The show must go on”. He begins to collect twenty or thirty more blades from the glass bowl. He fans them similarly and shoves the bundle into his mouth. A shutter of pain and a dry heave only lead to a bloody spray from the performers mouth, that stain and spatter the white table cloth.
Gagging and in distress, the performer moves to grab the thread to complete the fairly standard effect. He uncoils the thread, drooling bright red blood from his mouth. Messily he swallows the thread, and a series of dry heaves begin again. After a few moments of this, the performer seems to regain a bit of control over himself. His face contorts as bit of the red stained thread appears at his lips. He grabs hold of it with shaky hands and begins to slide the string out of his mouth. Attached to the long piece of thread are the glimmering razors, swallowed prior. The performer attaches one of the produced razors to an apparatus on one side of the stage, that holds the ribbon, err chainsaw, up and in the air. The performer slowly steps back, spewing more blood until the last of the blades are produced. Unceremoniously, the performer sticks the last razor into the apple on the bloody table and staggers offstage. A hard thud could be heard, then the performers legs flop into view. They remain unmoving throughout the entire rest of the night letting the people who where in the que line to the haunted house to wonder about what they had just witnessed.
Fin
I feel it is a bit heavy on the graphics, but I think I can pull it off with an over the top character.
Anyway, please give me your opinion on faking a death onstage?
Also let me just ask this, what do you feel disturbing? What effects would you like to see? I am not looking for marketed effects, I am looking for ideas, your ideas on what would disturb you to see?
