Hey all, so I have a really big question I'd like to throw out there and get some thoughts and opinions on. I'm working on a new sub-trunk, to go along with a Pirate themed show I'm putting together with some friends of mine. The idea for the sub-trunk would be that it's going to be, instead of a trunk shape, in the shape of an old rum barrel. So some questions I had would be, does anyone know if 1) A sub-trunk has been done in the form of a barrel, and 2) Would this even be possible. I'm worried, you see, about space and stability. A barrel, being taller more-so than wide, might have a tendency to lose it's stability and tip over. I could overcome this obsticale, however, by bracing it around the bottom, but I wouldn't want the audience suspecting that the bracing had something to do with the effect. The other issue, as I mentioned, was size. The top of a barrel being small and circular as it is, I wonder if it would be possible to even have enough room for the t**p, what with someone standing atop it, and if so, would there be enough room for the switch. And the height of the barrel, I wonder if it may be difficult to get in and out of it, as well as on and off of it.

I would really like to build this barrel, so if anyone has any ideas or opinions that may help, please let me know. If not, could you maybe suggest something else to go along with the pirate theme that could be used. Preferably not a treasure chest, as we are incorperating that with another illusion. Thank you for you time and replies.

Patrick

I have seen some kegs that are easily large enough to hold a person. Just build it the size you need. The pirate theme is sort of a caricature anyway, so it should fit in nicely.

Amos McCormick

Consider a sub trunk in the form of a chest. It would fit into your theme without the headaches retrofiting a barrel.

Another idea - you could have a barrel on its side on a stand. This might still function like a pirate chest.

Amos McCormick

But therein lies the problem, 61magic. We're using a chest for another effect, and I was trying to stray from using 2 chests in the act. Was trying to think of other options, but other objects that would fit the description ellude me.

Amosmc, the problem with turning the barrel on it's side, is I would worry that the curve of the barrel would make balancing quite a challange. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as I'm thinking.

Thanks for the help, you two. I appreciate all the thoughts and opinions I can get

Try building a small model first to see if it will work. My concern is that barrel walls are rounded and not flat. The illusion of the tip over trunk has to do in part with the flat sides and back of the trunk shape. When you tip over the barrel, how do you accomplish the same effect with the curved sides?
:magicrabbit:

But this should not be a tip-over trunk, should it... One of his concerns was "to even have enough room for the t**p"

Gene

Here is something to think about. I owned an Abbotts canvas box. It was basically a sub trunk with an additional canvas bag laced over the trunk. The method of exchange was done inside a curtain cabinet rather than the standing on top method.
This idea could be adapted to your barrel.
The switch being made in a curtain cabinet so you don't need to worry about standing on it. You could even play with the design of the lid to do away with a tr_p altogether.

Patrick,

If you don't have to do it surrounded, why not check if you can use the "other" sub-trunk method?
(The round shape and the viewer's angles may be a problem...?)

Gene

Build your prop in the 'shape' of a small row boat.

I don't remember who, but years ago I saw someone do a sub trunk with a CLEAR barrel. They did the traditional tube curtain presentation, with someone standing on one of the flat round ends. I assume that the T**P either rotated, or went out not in.

A "barrel" is just a rounded container made up of vertical staves and held together with metal hoops. There is nothing magical about the proportions.

Where I'm going with this is that you can make a barrel to whatever proportions fit your needs, as long as it's the basic shape and recognizable as such. A couple of years ago I made three barrels for a production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. These had so many requirements it was hilarious: they had to be lightweight bur strong enough to hold actors jumping on them, they had to be big enough for two actors to fit inside at once but not look too large, and they had to be short enough so an actor could step into or out of it without his voice changing.

An afternoon of work with AutoCAD let me work out the proportions, and the things worked out fine. As far as the audience was concerned, they looked like barrels, so they were barrels. Let your pirate theme guide you to the design of this stuff, instead of taking things literally and painting yourself into a corner.

The operative I think is t NOT try to retrofit an old whisky barrell. make the thing from scratch soo you controll the proportions.

Just for info, I've never seen a sub-trunk barrel, but I have seen a circular sub-trunk... in the shape of an oversized hat-box if I remember correctly..

There are some meassurements you have to deal with.. Two persons have to stand on top of it. The trap can be on top or on the back of the barrel. When from the top you need to have space to jump in without hurting your knees. When from behind you need a curtain that is wide enough not to be seen. Standard meassurements for a square trunk are about 100x80x80 centimeters. You probably end up with a somewhat wide and flat drum. Options could also be a dynamite chest or a box made of 2 oildrums next to each other...
Gr, EVI