Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Acting Is Dangerous Work...!


I guess that you could get hurt in any job, but sometimes it's in a way you just don't plan for.

No telling how many times these guys had to practice this, but quite obviously one more time would have been a good idea! I'm just saying...!

Actor wounded by sword during 'Hamlet'

Associated Press
March 22, 2011, 8:43AM

DUBLIN — Good night, stunned prince.

An audience watching an Irish production of “Hamlet” has been shocked to see the prince exit the stage too soon — when a sword fight really wounded the star.

Conor Madden, playing the title character of Shakespeare’s tragedy, suffered a gash beneath his eye and collapsed at Monday’s production in the southwest city of Cork. He was hospitalized but released.

Many playgoers thought the wound was part of the act. Artistic director Alan Stanford took the stage to say the blood and moans were real, and Hamlet couldn’t continue without the prince.

Madden is missing Tuesday’s two performances at Cork’s Everyman Theatre but may return Wednesday, when Hamlet is expected to resume shuffling off this mortal coil in line with the script.

This is probably the reason that my folks didn't want me to be an actor! All this time, I thought it was because they didn't want me to starve to death! I just never knew that the real reason was that they hated the idea of me being injured in a sword fight in front of a couple hundred people!

Boy, my parents were cooler than I thought! Imagine...worrying about me like that!

Now, my friends, let's get some fresh coffee and sit outside for a bit. Nice and cool this morning!

9 comments:

Ben in Texas said...

So? Does this count as an English tragedy or an Irish tragedy? Doing Shakespeare ( English) with an Irish Cast? ummm,,

Good thing they weren't doing Julies Caesar or he's been stabbed by the senate !!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

OUCH! These actors carried the realism a bit too far. Maybe rubber swords would have been better than the real ones? What ever happened to the saying that "the play must go on?" Glad the actor was OK.

bigbadsis@gmail.com said...

Ben brought up some interesting points as did B.P.B.. Whose brilliant idea was it to use real swords in the first place? Realism is one thing but I suppose if the acting was good enough rubber swords would have passed. Maybe the acting was supberb and the offender had a secret ax (sword) to grind!

Dizzy-Dick said...

The older we get the "cooler" our parents become. As far as the accadent, I know a few actors that that ought to perform with real loaded and/or sharp weapons. . .

HermitJim said...

Hey Ben...
Probably a night at the theater that the folks won't forget any time soon!

We miss all the fun stuff!

Thanks, buddy, for dropping in this morning!


Hey Beatrice...
Guess he just didn't want to bleed on the costume!

Kinda silly for an accident like that to happen...sad, but silly!

Hey, thanks for coming by today!


Hey Sis...
Wonder if they could use wooden swords? Only thing is, I guess they need the sound of metal against metal!

Oh well, as long as the guy is OK and the play is good!

Thanks, sis, for coming by today!


Hey Dizzy...
Boy, ain't that the truth? Amazing how much they learn over our lifetime, isn't it?

I know of a few of those actors as well!

Thanks, my friend, for coming by today!

Mechanic in Illinois said...

Good thing the cut wasn't lower. He would be singing soprano. Thanks for the story and have a great Tuesday.

HermitJim said...

Hey Mechanic...
I can only imagine how loud the groans would have been from backstage had that happened!

Hurts me to even think about it!

Thanks for coming by today!

JoJo said...

Now that sounds fishy, maybe the sword should have been rubber as others said above. Maybe this other guy wanted the part of the prince. At any rate lucky he didn't lose his eye.
Have a wonderful day.

HermitJim said...

Hey JoJo...
You might be right about a little jealousy being involved! We all know how these actors are...right?

Like I said, I guess that accidents can happen in any profession.

Thanks, sweetie, for coming by today!