"crazy" hair for play

[Magdalene]

I'm playing an inmate in an insane asylum, and the director has requested I wear my hair completely down. The only problem is it is getting in my face alot. Normally this isn't a problem, I could tuck it behind my ears or whatever, but my hands are not free so I have trouble getting it back out of my face.

Short of spraying it down with a load of hairspray, any suggestions?

I do want some movement, I just want it to fall back off of my face once my fits are over so the audience can see my expressions.

Pins, braids, barrettes, any sort of fastener is not possible, so I'm probably going to have to go with product- just what product is the question!

Also, should I braidwave or not? Thinking it MIGHT help..

[Aleria]

Well, I think if it got in your face a bit it might help the insane look. Mostly in my drama experience, they just used a lot of hairspray. Maybe Aloe vera gel, you could slick it back? Also if you get bobby pins in the same colour as your hair, they might not show.

[christine1989]

I second hair pins. If you just used two pins to hold back the peices by your face then I doubt they would be detected.

[Rapunzelwannabe]

Braidwaves sound perfect, and I agree with putting the very front bits pulled back with bobby pins. Maybe at the end of a 'fit' you could toss your hair back from your face, or look up to get the bulk of it away if the pins don't get director's seal of approval.

[Jimothea]

Aveda used to have this stuff called "Volumizing Hair Tonic." I think that's the name; if that's not exactly it you could probably ask a sales clerk and they'll know what the true name is. It's a fairly small, brown glass bottle with a pump spray.

It's kinda like a cross between hairspray and, hmmm, back-teasing-in-a-bottle. You spray it at your roots and then push your fingers back and forth very quickly over your scalp and then lift the hair into the place you want while you do the back-and-forthing. When it dries, it stays. Doesn't feel like hairspray, but it isn't far from it. I loved it; I used to use it for work (bartending and waitressing) because it could withstand a lot of movement and I got the "nice hair" (or in your case, crazy lady hair) look without having to redo it halfway through a shift. Maybe that would work for you?

The other thing I thought of (haven't used in ten years, so who knows if it still exists) just now is Redken Hair Concrete. If you use it wet, your hair, well, dries like concrete. LOL. No joke, rock solid. If you use it damp or after drying, you style your hair into place and it still moves around, like with moose, but then it magically goes back the way you styled it. We used it for tumbling (with our hair down), if that says anything. But I haven't seen it in years and years. It also has a very offputting texture, I think, lol, before you put it in your hair. Kind of the Something-About-Mary scene, you know?

Good luck and have fun!

[Jimothea]

shoot and I meant to say yes, braid waves would probably do really well. My bad! Sorry for the double post

[EdG]

I'm playing an inmate in an insane asylum, and the director has requested I wear my hair completely down. It's strange how people associate long, loose hair with craziness.

I swear we've been perceived as escapees from the longhair asylum at recent LHC meets. :eyebrows:
Ed

[trolleypup]

I'd practice head and body movements to get most (but not all) your hair out of your face. Long hair down and uncontrolled is an effective accessory to that role! Sure, it is stereotypical and all, but it still works!

[Magdalene]

It's strange how people associate long, loose hair with craziness.

I swear we've been perceived as escapees from the longhair asylum at recent LHC meets. :eyebrows:
Ed

It's so true! Not so much having the long hair, but the unkempt, not taking care of it part...
On the other end of the spectrum, several of the other inmates have shaved heads!

That Redken stuff sounds like just the thing!

[Firefox7275]

I know you said no fasteners, but what about a Flexi Comb to give unkempt volume without damage? You could leave out a thin section around the hairline to completely cover the Flexicomb, perhaps using the spray mentioned earlier.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-WOMENS-2-PACK-FLEXI-HAIR-COMB-CLEAR-SIZE-MEDIUM-X6-/170585236826

[LisaB234]

Braid waves! I wonder if you could part your hair and take a small piece on each side, the section that would be bangs, tuck behind your ears, twist and secure under the center back of your hair?

[ScarlettAdelle]

You might be able to get away with taking a darning needle with thread the same color as your hair and stitching some of your hair into place out of your eyes, like almost fake fringe style...

I have to agree with other posters that letting some of it being in your face might lend to the role...