collapsing chair
Tue, 25 Jan 2005, 05:26 pmleman3 posts in thread
collapsing chair
Tue, 25 Jan 2005, 05:26 pmProblem, dear readers ... actor sits on chair, carries chair around ... then ... again sits on chair, which 'collapses' with broken leg, casting actor to the (stage) floor. Actor demonstrates this by holding chair aloft, broken leg dangling. General business, hubbub, actor goes up/off stage, SFX of hammering and actor re-appears with 'repaired' chair. Night after night.
Any ideas?
Any ideas?
Re: addressing the chair
Wed, 26 Jan 2005, 12:36 pmI'm picturing this in my head...not exactly sure how to construct it but I'm sure someone handy in carpentry could have a good go:
2 chairs, yes, so that the second one brought back is completely stable (although it may have evidence of 'having being repaired').
For the first chair I'm imagining a kind of hinge on one of the legs, so if it is held at one angle it will appear to be straight, but if held at a different angle the hinge will swing open and the leg will stick out askew. It would be stable enough to sit on so long as pressure is put against the leg in the direction that keeps the hinge locked tight, and perhaps surreptitiously chocked with a foot on the floor...but when the chock is removed or the actor's bodyweight is shifted in the direction of the hinge, it opens the hinge and the leg becomes unstable, making the chair tip over. Perhaps a pin is put in place which holds it all steady until it is removed at the critical moment?
Or it's probably possible to sit on a three legged chair (the fourth leg being rigged ready to snap) so long as the actor's bodyweight is centred over the strong legs, perhaps using their own legs on the floor to avoid putting too much weight on the chair?
Sounds like you'll need a (pair of a) particular type of chair, perhaps constructing them especially?
Cheers
Craig
2 chairs, yes, so that the second one brought back is completely stable (although it may have evidence of 'having being repaired').
For the first chair I'm imagining a kind of hinge on one of the legs, so if it is held at one angle it will appear to be straight, but if held at a different angle the hinge will swing open and the leg will stick out askew. It would be stable enough to sit on so long as pressure is put against the leg in the direction that keeps the hinge locked tight, and perhaps surreptitiously chocked with a foot on the floor...but when the chock is removed or the actor's bodyweight is shifted in the direction of the hinge, it opens the hinge and the leg becomes unstable, making the chair tip over. Perhaps a pin is put in place which holds it all steady until it is removed at the critical moment?
Or it's probably possible to sit on a three legged chair (the fourth leg being rigged ready to snap) so long as the actor's bodyweight is centred over the strong legs, perhaps using their own legs on the floor to avoid putting too much weight on the chair?
Sounds like you'll need a (pair of a) particular type of chair, perhaps constructing them especially?
Cheers
Craig