labricoleuse | Noises Off staircase-fall padding

For our recent production of Noises Off!, we had the unusual project of creating a set of protective padding for an actor who had to take a pratfall down a flight of stairs!

Katie Paxton as Brooke and Matt Schneck as Garry

See this staircase on the set? Matt Schneck, the actor in the foreground, had to "fall" down the first set of stairs to the landing, appear to smash his crotch on the newel post, then bump down the second set of stairs on his behind, ultimately winding up lying flat on the stage at the bottom of the stairs. Obviously, this action required physical skill and movement coaching, but in the interest of safety and realism, we were asked to troubleshoot how to pad the actor's entire lower body to protect him from accidental injury. These pads needed to be as invisible as possible under his butter-yellow suit, as well!

We started with a football girdle, designed to protect the hips and tailbone from impact, like this one. We knew we'd need to pad more areas than that so two were purchased. Through fittings with the performer, we learned exactly where he would need the padding beyond that already provided by the single girdle. Then my assistant Kelly Renko and i cut up the second girdle's pads and attached them to the first, covered in a matching white spandex, thus:

Padding on hanging-man dress form.
What are you looking at?

Red pads were integral to original garment.
Black pads for buttocks and small of back and rear thigh were added.

So, that's an interesting project that no audience member ever even saw or knew about, but which was super-important for the success of a physical comedy moment and the safety of the actor! Cool!