# Italian accident



## RickR (Feb 2, 2016)

Actor injured by 'fake' noose.
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35475381
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35475381


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## TheaterEd (Feb 3, 2016)

Ugh. Disgusting. I actually received a message from a local asking for help with something like this a month or so ago. I believe I sucessfully talked them out of it, but forwarding this article on to them just in case.


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## bobgaggle (Feb 4, 2016)

I hope we learn how it happened...I've done two noose effects and haven't had an incident. One using magnets and another using a single thread as a breakaway. But in both those cases we never actually suspended anyone, always a blackout before the actual 'hanging'. (Parade)


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## TheaterEd (Feb 5, 2016)

Actor Declared Brain Dead

Also, a few more details about the act


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## JD (Feb 5, 2016)

IT was called "Experimental Theater." I suspect this was an actor who had designed his own stunt and did not have the background in rigging to make it safe. Shame.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...r-on-stage-hanging-scene-went-horribly-wrong/


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## What Rigger? (Feb 5, 2016)

I've done two hanging effects in my career, and I was trained by the best. I didn't care for this effect then, I still don't now.

Yes, there is a way to do this safely, and when done safely and correctly it is all an illusion. The noose does not bear any of the load, and in fact is not a functioning noose at all. Again, it is an illusion. When done correctly, you will actually spend exponentially more time demonstrating how the noose is built to fail, and demonstrating how the noose _does fail_ if loaded, than you will performing the actual illusion during rehearsals and shows. 

I have my own thoughts on what happened, and how, to this actor. PM me if you'd like to discuss/speculate further; but I'm totally ok with not. 

We say it here all the time, and I'm saying it again: anything involving weapons of any kind onstage requires professional specialists. Anything involving a person being suspended in any way requires professional specialists. If you don't hire the pros, you're putting a price on a singular, unique human life of only a few thousand dollars (because that's what it costs to hire us). If something goes wrong, do you want that on your mind? If you're thinking of doing it any other way, stop.


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## gafftaper (Feb 8, 2016)

How horrible. There was only one spectator for the performance. Then a med student came along and realized he was actually in trouble... how did that all work out? Terrible tragedy.


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## Dionysus (Feb 13, 2016)

I haven't read the article yet and I want to comment. That is terrible, horrible. Someone should be held accountable.
I've done a number of shows with "fake nooses" of more than one construction and have never had an issue. ALWAYS TESTED and Quadruple checked!

One was "Last Man Hanged", an account of the last public hanging in Canada (and it was performed in the very Gaol (Jail) courtyard where the hanging actually took place). Great show, and it was kind of weird to do the fake hanging so close to where the real thing happened.

I cannot imagine having such an avoidable tragedy.


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## gafftaper (Feb 14, 2016)

Dionysus said:


> I haven't read the article yet and I want to comment. That is terrible, horrible. Someone should be held accountable.



Not to be disrespectful, but from what I read, the actor chose to change the scene from a gun shot suicide to a noose suicide without telling anyone. Then proceeded to design his own noose with no experience or outside help. Then went on to perform it for only one person. So it sounds like sadly (fortunately?) there is only one person responsible and he is dead. 

I say "fortunately?" because I can't imagine the guilt and horror to be the person who designed something like this and see someone killed by your mistakes. As tragic as this is it could be worse to be the fool who unwittingly created the tragedy and has to live with it.


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## MNicolai (Feb 14, 2016)

gafftaper said:


> Not to be snarky, but from what I read, the actor chose to change the scene from a gun shot suicide to a noose suicide without telling anyone. Then proceeded to design his own noose with no experience or outside help. Then went on to perform it for only one person. So it sounds like sadly (fortunately?) there is only one person responsible and he is dead.



It's also not outside of the realm of possibility this was a suicide, regardless of what his mother says. We won't know until the investigation is complete, but I wouldn't be surprised either way.


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## Dionysus (Feb 14, 2016)

gafftaper said:


> Not to be snarky, but from what I read, the actor chose to change the scene from a gun shot suicide to a noose suicide without telling anyone. Then proceeded to design his own noose with no experience or outside help. Then went on to perform it for only one person. So it sounds like sadly (fortunately?) there is only one person responsible and he is dead.
> 
> I say "fortunately?" because I can't imagine the guilt and horror to be the person who designed something like this and see someone killed by your mistakes. As tragic as this is it could be worse to be the fool who unwittingly created the tragedy and has to live with it.



I agree completely, after reading the article I found I felt quite the same.


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