Cabaret

[ekul1978]

Hi guys I'm looking for some help. We have a production of 'Cabaret' in the next month or so and have been asked to create a shop interior with a window that a brick can be thrown through. The actual frame work etc. I can easily build but am not too sure on the smashed glass effect as it has to be reused several times. My initial thought was to make it out of something like 9mm ply painted to look like a window, cut out the smashed section then put it back in so as the brick is thrown through it will shatter. I do have some cash available but cant go overboard on just one prop. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

 

 

Cheers Luke

[Shez]

A sound effect and some acting?

[alistermorton]

Agreed. In the 39 steps where, Hannay was suppose to break a window and escape through it, sound effect timed with the breaking action worked very well for us.

[WiLL]

all I will say on the subject is working with panes of sugar glass is a royal pain in the backside.

[ekul1978]

Thanks for the suggestions guys - Will, sugar glass hadn't even entered my head but don't think I will be going down that route.. As always tho the director knows best and is adamant that we are having a smashing window. Guess will have to go with the ply route atm and hope for the best.

 

 

 

Thanks guys

[Dave m]

could you do it with data/video projection? If there's a cyc through the wind, just adding some kind of "after" effect once it's broken?

[ekul1978]

Alas there is no cyc (good idea tho), he wants it to truck on and off, again can do that bit no problem just wanted the smash to look effective.

[Robin D]

Ply will not 'break' as you hope.

 

An alternative is to have a sliding ply board held above the window aperture. On the cue, 'brick' gets thrown and the new 'broken window' image simply drops into view. If you can do it safely, the thrown 'brick' could push out the old image and drop in the new. One pulse of bright light would deceive the audience.

 

NB: Do not throw a normal house brick. If it shatters on impact, and the more times its subject to stress, the more likely it is to shatter) the shards could easily blind someone many feet away!

 

Incidentally, a brick thrown at a plate glass shop window even in the 1930's would rarely go through it. More than one criminal has been hit by the rebounding brick. It depends on the size of the pane, where on the pane and at what angle the brick hits it.