Hanging Someone

[Shaun Foster]

(think this fits in this forum)

 

For a play I'm working on (in school), one of the scenes requires someone to be hung. They have planned to do this in silhouette with the actor standing on something, so they don't need to actually be hung. They still need to have a rope with a noose hanging round the actors neck. I'm going to make the rope so it will break before it takes any weight to avoid accidental hanging. Could anyone recommend the best way to do this, and/or are there any other precautions I need to take?

[peternewman]

Just don't do it!

 

Get in a professional company to do it, before someone gets killed.

 

Or if you really must do it, then do not make a noose, hold the ends with thread or something, but do not tie it in any way that could tighten if a load is put on it, even better use rolled up paper or something if its only a silhouette.

 

Remember this is someones life we are talking about, it doesn't matter if the effect isn't brilliant, it would matter if someone got killed.

 

PN

[Shaun Foster]

I am aware of this, which is why I want to be completely happy that whatever is used cannot injure anyone. I'm just wondering if there is a reconised way of doing this.

[TomLyall]

in my experience (little experience yet ive seen this done twice.. must be quite a common thing) a much better result can be achieved by not actually showing 'the hanging'.

 

the idea of the silhouette is a good one I think, rather than placing the noose around their head simply have it to the side of it, if its parallel with the lantern it should look very good once rehearsed a few times. A good build up with music and a blackout at the moment which the trapdoor opens...

 

anyway thats just my opinion

[Shaun Foster]

I was planning on cutting the rope (possibly in several places) and joining it back together with something that will snap, but just strong enough to hold the rope together.

[Neil Frazer]

it's easy to make a fake noose. get a straight length of rope. wrap another rope round it to make the knot bit. then just tuck the loose end into the knot about an inch. any tugging will pull the loose end out. However I take no responsibility if you decide to use this with a live subject. get a professional company to make a stage noose (It's one that will not slip.)

[Shaun Foster]

Would the method you describe not be safer than a stage noose? As It can't be pulled any tighter, and should come apart?

[TomLyall]

with the greatest of respect, do you actually need to show the guy being hanged?

 

[edit] reread your original post, what I supose I mean is do you really ahve to put a rope around his/her neck? I'd jus be a little nervous about doing that myself :o

 

off topic: is it hanged or hung? I never know...

[Neil Frazer]

Would the method you describe not be safer than a stage noose? As It can't be pulled any tighter, and should come apart?

Probably. But with a stage noose you can sue the people who made it and not me!

[Shaun Foster]

Probably. But with a stage noose you can sue the people who made it and not me!

 

I don't think I'd be able to sue you, espeially with the warning notice at the top of this page. I wont try this until I am confident it is safe, and it usually takes alot to make me confident something is safe.

[Kevin Robertson]

off topic: is it hanged or hung? I never know...

 

I was really looking forward to being superior in letting everyone know that it is hanged and not hung when talking about people. But I was beaten to it. :o

 

Back on topic.

 

I agree with everyone here, that it is better not to EVER put a rope round someones neck unless you are totally confident that you know what you are doing.

I have done this a few times. And even though I know exactly what I am doing it still makes me nervous.

 

Get some proper advice and training from someone who knows.

[Ike]

I personly know of an incident where someone has died onstage while doing this stunt, is there anyway you could simply hang a bit of rope upstage/downstage of them?

[paulears]

I'm assuming you're doing a chicago style hanging - it was done in gt yarmouth a few years back and they got a rigger from the circus to plan and run the drop. It involved very precise rigging, safety systems, code words in the script and the person who activated the drop was on stage, in costume. he aborted one night because he wasn't happy. Paperwork was a problem too - insurance cover is a serious issue with this type of work. The ironic thing is it still couldn't prevent a fall causing death at the very circus he works for last year - it just proves risk assessments are worth it. I'd like to think I'm quite experienced, but there is no way I would pull the lever that could kill someone - and anyone who puts their head in a noose rigged by someone else wants their head examined - while it is still attached to their body!

[emj]

Having helped designed A Hanging for a touring show and made up safe nooses a few times. ONLY work with professional who have done it be for and Tying a Noose or similar if not made completely safe is a criminal offence as there is only one uses for it

 

The Most Famous Safe Hanging to go wrong was Michael j fox In back to the future part 3

 

So fined any way you to achieve this affect you can with out putting a loop in a Rope

 

Hope this helps

Em : :o

[themadhippy]

we hired a noose a few years ago to use in female transport,cant rember the company,but there based in manchester,any way the person being hung wore a full body harness,and the rope had a steel wire inside,which was attached to a suitable rigging point.when the time comes to hang em,attach the steel to harness, slip noose around the neck and let em swing