This means war
If you’re reading this in the Northern Hemisphere, it might tickle you to know that I am writing this backstage at the Forum (my beautiful, weird gothic venue) shortly before doing my latest show in Melbourne. It’s some time since I did a blog in the run-up to a show, but I’ve just discovered that the wireless works back here in the dressing rooms, thanks to the excellent cyber skills of Mr David O Doherty who is on before me.
O’Doherty and I have a running competition to do the funniest practical joke in each other’s dressing rooms. He began it by opening a packet of bottled water in my dressing room, marked PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH, and quite deliberately laying them in a line like skittles across the floor so that I found them, in this sinister array, when I arrived. He’s since moved wine glasses and written an unnerving letter M in the carpet with spilled water. I retaliated by building a trail of bottles like his original one, but far longer – spanning almost his entire room. The war is gradually escalating. He’s got a big advantage because he’s always here first, but on the other hand, I am enterprising and so are you lot. Any ideas for pranks that can be done in a fairly normal dressing room, let me know. I’m prepared to source props.
Strange sometimes to think this is my actual job.
Right, going onstage to do that typing bit. Bye.
Posted by Craig Tubb on April 11, 2011
Do you have mirrors in the dressing rooms?
Write a fake phone number on it in lipstick with the words: “Thanks for a good night. Call me, Dave.”
Make sure somebody walks in on him trying to frantically rub it off and film it to ensure it is never forgotten.
Posted by Aislinn on April 10, 2011
Friday Night Dinner style: pour salt in his water bottles.
Posted by Rachael on April 10, 2011
If this is the last show, how is this going to work? :/
Posted by Claire on April 10, 2011
Further to earlier themes, how about setting his keys / mobile phone etc in jelly?
Posted by Daniel on April 9, 2011
Freeze his mobile phone / keys / something in one of the bottles.
Forge fan mail asking for something inconvenient / inappropriate
Saw an inch off the legs of each chair to mess with his mind
Subtly rearrange a different piece of furniture each night or just swap it all over
Put an can of tuna behind the heater
Sellotape things to the ceiling
The classic – order pizza to be delivered to his room.
Posted by Melanie on April 9, 2011
How about a treasure hunt with little clues that don’t go anywhere? Or lead round in a circle?
Posted by Lisa D on April 9, 2011
Clear gelatin mix in the water bottles. (Can one get that in Australia? It’s essentially Jell-O without the dye. Health food stores often have it) Since you’re in the dressing room after him it will have overnight to set. Completely harmless and has the added bonus of the high silly factor Jell-O brings to the party.
Posted by ediecott on April 9, 2011
What you need is a piece of glass. Remove tops from bottles, cover with glass, invert, place on floor, remove glass. Perhaps check he can swim.
Posted by Sam on April 9, 2011
Make a line of bottles, but make sure they aren’t clear bottles. Then they can be bottles of water or you can fill it with something heavy, I’d suggest an amatuer cement mixture.
But here’s the kicker, you fix the bottles to each other, so when he goes to pick it up he has to pick them all up, and is left with a big lump of useless cement filled bottles.
Posted by Tom Beasley on April 9, 2011
If O’Doherty really was resourceful, he’d be checking your blog for a post such as this.
Posted by Lydia on April 9, 2011
I am crap of thinking up practical jokes, but I love hearing about them lol. I think you will definitely have to keep us updated on this.
Posted by DiB (Sue) on April 9, 2011
I hear that cling-wrap is quite a useful material for practical jokes.
Or you could arrange empty water bottles 10 pin style at the end of the room and leave a football or something nearby, Would it be possible to fix the bottles to the floor somehow so the ball wouldn’t knock them over?
I don’t know, I don’t really do pranks.
Posted by Misha on April 9, 2011
Lay a trail and then write a message on the mirror in lipstick?
I’d imagine that would throw him off, since blokes don’t normally posses lipstick.
Posted by MusicalLottie on April 9, 2011
Haha
I love the idea of a prank war (providing it stays within the realms of harmlessness). I have no ideas but look forward to hearing about further pranks, and other people’s ideas.