This is for anyone who has done props for a production of Sweeney Todd.
I'm wondering what recipie for your blood worked best as far as color, consistancy, and washablility?
Thanks!
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“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
It all depends on wether it has the potential to be ingested... if it is strictly going to be used on a flesh or cloth surface and not ingested... BABY SHAMPOO and Red and Green food coloring... or you can use liquid laundry detergent. But... baby shampoo is a bit better not quite as allergenic.
If it may be ingested generally go for a Karo Syrup mix... using red and green.
Mind you the Karo Syrup should be cleaned up as soon as the curtain comes down after each performance or it becomes a hideous sticky mess. Oh.. and use warm water when mopping down... 3 or 4 passes with the mop and fresh water.
Each has it's draw backs... Soap based comes out of fabric a lot better... as the soap acts as a barrier between the fabric and the food coloring.
I guess I missed whatever happened on the other thread, buy it's gone.
Who knew that such a simple thread could start so much trouble?!
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
I have also used a stage blood recipe that added a bit of chocolate syrup into the mix. It toned down the bright red and clarity of the blood and gave it that opaqueness that is sometimes missing in stage blood.
Somewhere I probably still have the recipe for non-edible stage blood that the costume designer at my undergrad swore by. It included Karo, dish soap, and the aforementioned chocolate syrup, but I don't remember the exact amounts. We made several gallons of it for Deathtrap, and it never left a stain on the white t-shirts.
I would greatly appreciate the recipe if you could find it!
And I don’t know HOW you would do Sweeney without SOME blood.
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
You could just save the expieriments with recipes and the wasted time, and just pony up the money for a few gallons of Professional Stage Blood...
I'm sure a local provider or regional props workshop will offer some type of discount in agreement with an ad space in your playbill (something along those lines).
This looks the most realistic, can be easily cleaned and washed, and CAN be ingested, though large amounts never should be ingested.
Be sure to test the blood on costume fabric samples before actually using. You want to be sure the blood washes out. And when you get to performance the bloodied costumes should be put into the wash as soon as the actor comes offstage.
Whatever you do, wear gloves when filling the razors. It took me a couple of days of tech coming home with red-stained hands to rethink the situation. Also, our costume designer also backed the barber smocks with some kind of vinyl material to help protect the costumes.
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
When we made gallons of blood for Sweeney we used a soap/strawberry syrup/chocolate syrup mixture that washed right out. When desired, this would also allow us to fling the blood as we pulled the razor away from the neck. I've tried numerous mixtures over the years, and nothing works as well as professionally made stage blood, but the Sweeney blood comes in a close second.
"I am ready to disclaim my opinion, even of yesterday, even of 10 minutes ago, because all opinions are relative. One lives in a field of influences, one is influenced by everyone one meets, everything is an exchange of influences, all opinions are derivative. Once you deal a new deck of cards, you've got a new deck of cards."
— Peter Brook
I've come up with a mixture of 85% percent Baby Shampoo, 10% store bought stage blood, and 5% chocolate syrup.
I'll take pictures tonight at the dress rehearsal.
Thanks for your help!
We are wearing gloves, not only for the razors but for the person I assigned to 'dirty people up'. It's a dirty production!
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
Some productions that don't wish to launder costumes frequently will act the slashings but not have any blood. (I saw a pecularily toothless Romeo & Juliet that had many stabbings but no blood, and it made me sad. ) Or you could do it Japanese style and have strips of red silk representing blood.
Personally, I feel ripped off if there's no blood when there should be blood. Some of the best blood I've seen lately was in The Pillowman in Leicester. Not only was there LOADS of blood when Katurian [SPOILER], but there was even some blood when the Little Girl [SPOILER]. It's that kind of attention to detail that really makes my day. :3