Hey all! I could use some help with an effect I’m working on. A character is supposed to get the most epic nosebleed in history, spouting blood everywhere. The actor will be wearing a breathing mask connected to an oxygen tank, so getting the blood to his face shouldn’t be too difficult, but I’m struggling with how to make up look like it’s coming from his nose. The other challenge is to get blood all over part of the set.

Here’s the play-by-play of what needs to happen: He takes off the mask when the nosebleed starts, and two other actors escort him a short distance to a gurney. a few lines are spoken and one of the actors reaches under the gurney for a first-aid kit. Then we have a seven-second blackout, and lights come back up for intermission, revealing a plastic privacy screen in a metal frame (approx. 8’ high and 10’ wide) blocking the gurney from view. During intermission actors will be onstage miming a few things, and then scene two will begin with the bleeding character offstage and the rest of the cast cleaning up the bloody set.

My current thought is to hide blood bags in the set so that the actors can surreptitiously pop them during intermission. The nosebleed itself i’m considering creating by giving the actor a cannula to wear under the mask and puncturing the underside of the tube under his nose so that the blood appears to come from his nose, but I don’t know if the audience will think it strange that he doesn’t take out the cannula when his nose starts gushing blood. I can try to put a tube there and hide it with makeup, but I don’t think I or the makeup team have that skill. Any thoughts on these ideas? Or new things to try?

P.S. the show opens Jan. 14 so I'd appreciate any swift responses you might have!