Things You'll Need:
- A partner
- A wide, open area
A slap to the face can be one of the most dramatic things you can do on stage but it must be done right if it is to be pulled off. It almost always leaves the audience surprised and amused. The following will show you how to perform a slap across the face on stage.
Pick someone to practice on who trusts you. Make sure that this person knows that you have no plans to hurt them or actually hit them across the face.
Practice in an area where you have plenty of room away from furniture or anything that can get broken. In a yard of soft grass is preferable.
Face downstage toward the audience with the victim of the slap in front of you at a slight diagonal so they are facing upstage away from the audience.
Make sure you are standing at least three feet apart. Check this by taking one step forward and wave your slap hand forward back and forth in front of you without hitting your partner.
Keep eye contact with your co-actor and start off with both hands at your side. Reach up with your slap hand to the side of your head with your elbow bent at a 90 degree angle.
Swing your hand forward to the side of your partner's face. Since you tested the distance between you there is no chance you will accidentally hit your partner so swing away. You can have a sound effect onstage to complete the slap.
React to the slap across the face if you are the victim. Reaction is important and can make all the difference.
Tip
Count as you complete the slap so your sound effects person can get the timing just right. Count in your head "one, two, three" as you lift your arm up. This will be the cue for the sound effects person to start counting. Both of you count in your head "one, two, three" from the initial slap pose until your hand reaches your partner's face. Practice this with your sound effects person so there are no pauses, which make the slap look unrealistic. If you don't have sound effects, have the victim stand with his elbows to his sides and his hands out of view as he faces away from the audience. As the slap happens, the victim should slap his hands together loudly and then grab his face in pain.
Warnings:
- Never slap someone for real onstage for effect. Don't let the victim stand directly in front of you or they will obscure too much of the action.
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