Driving an axe into a skull...on stage

[propguy]

I am starting techs on one show and planning props/ sfx for the next. We are doing a newer play, Zombie Town. One of the characters turns into a zombie so the prop axe is used to sever the actor's brain stem. I was wondering good ideas for faking this realistically. This is also in a thrust theatre. Can blood squirt out as well? Love the helpful community on here. Thanks in advance.

 

[alyx92]

I actually just did this at my University. They way we did that was we had the zombie fall down and have his head land just off stage with the rest of his body onstage. Then the actor with the axe swings and then an air pressure powered cannon shot "blood" into the air from that location. Zombietown is an awesome show, good luck!

 

[porkchop]

First thought is use a VERY soft foam axe and have the actual strike upstaged by the "zombie" (i.e. from upstage) so that you don't actually have to hit the actor with it. Then it's just a matter of how (and how much) you want to do the blood.

 

[propguy]

Awesome suggestions guys. What would I use to have blood squirt if not a pressurized cannon? I found a cool idea of taking off the flower of a squirting clown flower and extending the tubing and loading with blood. I wanted to try that for our neck chomp. Could maybe a device be rigged in a person's hair or at the base of the neck under a collar?

 

[gafftaper]

Awesome suggestions guys. What would I use to have blood squirt if not a pressurized cannon? I found a cool idea of taking off the flower of a squirting clown flower and extending the tubing and loading with blood. I wanted to try that for our neck chomp. Could maybe a device be rigged in a person's hair or at the base of the neck under a collar?

Sounds like a great solution. However I think I would start with a turkey baster and medical tubing instead. It'll give you a lot more power and capacity than a clown flower.