Macbeth props??

[monkeh]

Good morning you fabulous people!

 

Just a quickie to see if anyone has any ideas on this one - I'm propping Macbeth and need to make/buy the ingredients for the cauldron (lucky me!!) The director wants it to be as gory as possible but wants the following items to also look realistic:-

 

Toad

Fillet of snake

Tongue of dog

Adder's tongue

Lizard's leg

Owlet's wing

Shark's stomach (he suggested something bladder-looking!)

Hemlock root

Human liver

Human nose

Human lips

Fingers

 

We're working to a tight budget so any suggestions on how to source/make any of the above would be fab. NB we're running for 60 performances so it all needs to either be durable or cheap to replace if need be!

 

Ooh and the obvious one - any suggestions on making/sourcing a head?!

 

Cheers

 

M

 

Please don't crosspost into multiple forums. Most BR users use the 'View New Posts' button and will see your post. Sticking the same thing in 3 times will only confuse and annoy making it less likely that you'll get help.

[paulears]

what's the budget? 60 shows is a fair run, so buying might be cheaper for this lot.

[WiLL]

I would suggest buying some liquid latex and making most of those props. You can colour the latex by adding acrylic paint to it while it's still liquid, and it has a nice 'fleshy texture'.

[monkeh]

This is the tricky bit! The show's being put on in rep with another show (which doesn't start rehearsals for another month), and by some brainwave the budget for props is split for both shows - a total of £500. The cauldron stuff I listed is part of a longer list, but most of the rest of it for Macbeth should be borrowable or pretty cheap.

 

Any ideas?

 

M

[David]

Iv done this show 3 times now, and every time props have sent an age making and find-ind everything that is on your list.

Every time the lighting has been so moody and atmospheric, that I have never seen them go in the pot, it could have been anything in there.

 

So my advise is, unless the lighting is Full up and the audience is really close to the action, ie 5ft away, don't bother spending to much. as-long has the thing dropped in could be what the old hags say, you will get away with it.

 

So speaks a lampy who never understands why props have to real!.

[monkeh]

So true! The director went through the list to point out the bits he actually wanted to look real (about half of it!) and wasn't too fussed about the rest!! Most of the shows are in daylight so hopefully it'll just be a bit of clever painting on my part!!!

[David]

Which props dose he want to look real?

[monkeh]

The bigger ones joyfully enough! He's listed these:-

 

Fillet of snake, tongue of dog, adder's tongue, lizard's leg, owlet's wing, shark's stomach, hemlock root, human liver, slips of yew tree, human nose, human lips, fingers, and entrails of tiger.

 

And not forgetting Macbeth's head!! He's said he'd like this to at least bear a resemblance to the actor - not too specific re its features but needs to look like a head. It also need to be heavy as a head as well.

 

Any suggestions? Our budget is mini-tiny for the run (60 performances!) so any tips or warnings would be much appreciated!!!

[w/robe]

And not forgetting Macbeth's head!! He's said he'd like this to at least bear a resemblance to the actor - not too specific re its features but needs to look like a head. It also need to be heavy as a head as well.

 

Any suggestions? Our budget is mini-tiny for the run (60 performances!) so any tips or warnings would be much appreciated!!!

 

 

You can get polystyrene wig heads. Hairaisers do a man (020 8965 2500) and will post to you. You can then scrim and paint and add an old wig and lots of blood.

 

It will not be heavy so the cast will have to do that thing....

 

 

What is it called?

 

 

Oh yes ACTING!

 

 

Of course how ever good it is everyone will always know that it is a prop so you can not win.

[monkeh]

I would suggest buying some liquid latex and making most of those props. You can colour the latex by adding acrylic paint to it while it's still liquid, and it has a nice 'fleshy texture'.

 

Cheers Will - I've never used liquid latex before but that sounds perfect! Any pointers on how to use it, how much it costs, how long it takes etc? Sorry for the stupid questions but thought I'd get them out of the way!!

 

Cheers

 

M

[Tom Baldwin]

Which props dose he want to look real?

Fillet of snake, tongue of dog, adder's tongue, lizard's leg, owlet's wing, shark's stomach, hemlock root, human liver, slips of yew tree, human nose, human lips, fingers, and entrails of tiger.

 

Who would know what most of those looked like anyway?!

 

Generic, squishy offal of varying sizes should convince, surely... or does your director have a (very) dark past and know what each of these things really looks like?

[OB2]

for macbeths head, thought about talkign to the art department of a local college? they would probably be more than happy to make a life cast mould of his head - to demonstrate to the students (we've done this beofre) then make a latex mould of the cast and fill it with expanding foam (you can get the bottom of it looking really horrible with bits dripping out and so on then down to the painting!

 

we have done this beofre when we did caucasian chalk circle and worked a treat!