How To Build A Slap-shot 101

The WYNOT Radio Theatre Show is a spoof of the Golden Age of Radio - and nothing says radio like live sound effects. As a medium that was based solely on sound and the power of the imagination, radio sound-effects played a HUGE part in creating the "auditory illusion" for the listening ear. And a big part of the fun of our show is that we like to go a little further and let you "see" the illusion as well. We are a theatrical comedy, afterall.

The term "Slapstick Humor" has its roots in the tradition of Comedia Del Arte and the "slapstick" prop of its famously mischievous stock character Harlequin. Now a classic form of comedy, it initially gained popularity on the vaudeville stages at the turn of the 20th century. Once radio took over as the entertainment medium of choice, the tradition of "slapstick" transformed from a visual to an auditory experience. Enter the Slap-shot. (Who would have thought that two boards and a hinge would be responsible for all those wonderful cracks and slaps that made radio great.)

The "Slap-shot" is one of the simpler sound-effect props on our table, but it's a classic. It's design has many variations, and it can serve a variety of purposes, from a slap on the face to the bang of a gun. More importantly for us - it's cheap and easy to make.

And here's our "take" on it. Have a look!

Step 1: Collect your materials.
This is the easy part ...

Step 2: Use your tools.
This is the hard part...

Step 3: Put it together.
This is the not-so-hard part...

Step 4: Make it look slick.
This is the fun part...

FINAL PROP

So there you have it. A classic "Slap-shot" prop for less than $10. We should note that there are several variations of design that can be used, but this is the way we prefer ours: just 2 pieces of board and some hinges. We tried little handles on each side, but over time we discovered they just got in the way.

Stayed Tuned:
Next week we'll show you...well...you'll have to check back to see, won't you?

-The WYNOT RADIO Crew