On Stage Suicide

[M J R]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 10:55pm

So, for a show I'm working on now, I am doing something I've never had to do onstage before - kill myself.

I am SOOO paranoid about this scene already, and we haven't even rehearsed it yet.

I have to stab myself with my own sword and I am at a total loss at how to do so without looking completely lame....

Any ideas or good examples to follow?

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 10:55pm

I know what you can do for your LAST show....



Otherwise, some more info would be helpful.

Updated On: 7/25/05 at 10:55 PM

[Jokerman]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 10:57pm

I once did a show where we had a character hang himself from a chandelier.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 10:58pm

I played a suicidal farmer once in "The Rivers and Ravines" (check it out, it's fantastic) whose only connection to reality is his quest to learn Italian. I was in a single spotlight pointed directly down on me while "Tosca" played in the background and I held two shotguns. It was so amazing!

[M J R]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 11:00pm

I just keep picturing something horribly cheesy - it's supposed to be this shocking, climatic moment and I don't want it to be the old sword-under-the-arm trick...

Updated On: 7/25/05 at 11:00 PM

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 11:03pm

Well, if you're budget allows, you can do the old squeeze and have a fake sword blade pop up in your back.

That's what Dracula did for Quincey's death. It looked great!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 11:05pm

What show are you doing?

[M J R]

Posted: 7/25/05 at 11:13pm

www.byzantium-musical.com

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 8:15am

obviously you're just going to have to do it and pray that the emt's arrive in time and that you don't hit any vital organs. suffer for your art.

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 8:19am

if you hit any vital organs don't worry...we have a poster who can help..just check to see what organs she can get her hands on quickly.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 8:20am

as opposed to whose organ she has her hands on?

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 8:22am

Now Papa you know our girl isn't like that..me on the other hand.

Updated On: 7/26/05 at 08:22 AM

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 8:23am

wait, does that mean what i think it does?

[SamIAm]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 8:45am

I'd love to help but, unfortunately, my suicide in 'Night Mother took place off stage, so all I had to do was to call out my lines from behind the door and then fire the pistol (yes, I wanted to do it myself for the right timing and effect -- instead of having a sound cue and execution by a crew member).

Believe it or not it was pretty tough to work up to the point of suicide every night (fake, or not) and to fire the gun and it always took me awhile to get myself together after the curtain.

Good luck!

[bythesword84]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 9:16am

I'd rather have to pretend to stab myself than I would have to pretend to hang myself.

[Jokerman]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 2:27pm

Good thing I haven't seen 'Night, Mother yet.