Cremation Ashes

[Malcolm Gordon]

Hi,

 

In November my society are staging Eric Chappell's 'Wife After Death, a fairly new play which starred Tom Conti in the West End and on tour. The props list includes an urn containing cremation ashes. These are thrown at an actor, brushed off costume and carpet and then thrown again at another actor, this time supposedly in his face. We are trying to think of a suitable product/substance to use. As part of the action the urn is later topped up with muesli to make up for the loss.

 

I have been in touch with the original designer, who cannot remember what was settled on, other than that there was a lot of discussion and he remembered the muesli, also that they didn't use Fullers' Earth. The production manager unfortunately hasn't responded.

 

Obviously we need to keep the dust content down, but it does need to stick to the costumes enough to be brushed off. It seems that Fullers' Earth is widely used in film and on stage (as well as cosmetics) and other personal uses. I am aware that it shouldn't be inhaled. We have been thinking along the lines of crushed cat litter, either clay or paper, perhaps mixed with porridge oats. Silver sand won't stick to clothing. I don't believe that the quantity involved and its localised spillage will constitute an explosion risk.

 

Has anyone solved this, either for this play or another? Suggestions welcome. Many thanks

[Jivemaster]

Fuller's Earth and clay cat litter are totally inert from a dust explosion point of view, so is talc.

[alistermorton]

I'll ask our props people what we used as it was very effective.

[bigclive]

Porridge oats?

[david.elsbury]

Fuller's Earth and clay cat litter are totally inert from a dust explosion point of view, so is talc.

Eh? I thought that talc was prone to exploding, that's why it has been warned against in other past threads :)

[timsabre]

No, talc is very definitely not flammable. There are some doubts about the wisdom of inhaling it though.

[Oldradiohand]

Been here before. Look at the ingredients carefully, some "talcs" are made from corn starch which does carry an (I suspect extremely small) explosion risk.

[portytech]

Been here before. Look at the ingredients carefully, some "talcs" are made from corn starch which does carry an (I suspect extremely small) explosion risk.

 

Corn Starch is the same stuff that makes custard powder explode when in suspension, same with flour. Have a look at

(other videos are available)

 

There have been mill explosions when extractors have stopped working.

[Jivemaster]

Talc is magnesium silicate it's a powdered soft rock, it's inert for all normal purposes, corn starch is just one of hundreds of cellulose powders that can explode if made into a dust cloud and ignited.

 

When misusing things for effects it's essential to know what you have and how it will behave.

[slipstream]

Cork Granules - used for railway models would read well and be safer for the face throw into the bargain

[GaryNattrass]

Have a look at the wood based cat litter as it could be ground up to good effect and is easy to remove.

[Malcolm Gordon]

I'll ask our props people what we used as it was very effective.

I look forward to hearing what they used.

 

Cork Granules - used for railway models would read well and be safer for the face throw into the bargain

Except that the sources I have found are offering natural cork, which is essentially brownish instead of the grey colour of ash, and would need to be coloured in some way. The change to a brown colour, caused by the addition of muesli, is remarked on in the play.

 

Have a look at the wood based cat litter as it could be ground up to good effect and is easy to remove.

Is this brown or grey?

 

I'm sorry to have caused an excursion into the merits of talc, the mineral, compared with the various manifestations of talc(um) powder. I wasn't planning to use either, as they are usually fine powders and difficult to remove from clothing (black).

 

All suggestions still welcome. Incidentally, my thought about flaked porridge oats was to simulate the whiteish bone constituent of the ashes.

[MarkPAman]

Cork Granules - used for railway models would read well and be safer for the face throw into the bargain

 

 

To pinch the idea.... How about something like this which I think is real granite chips. Just don't throw them in anyone's eyes.

[Jivemaster]

Very few people actually know what cremation ashes look like, so some imagination may be best. Sugar or salt could be used they look white enough and can mess clothes and be brushed out easily.

[alistermorton]

I still haven't got an answer from our guys, but to me it looked like a blend of sands - some pale, some dark grey - with bulkier stuff which looked a bit like dried potting compost.