This reminds me of a story my dad told me when he played trumpet in his high school's orchestra. They were playing an easier arrangement of the 1812 Overture, but the director nevertheless wanted to have a cannon. He came up with a solution where the percussionist (back in the 60s when you could do this kind of thing) would fire a shotgun blank into a sandbox. Worked like a charm and provided a suitable enough effect.
Well, the shotgun had been used over the weekend and returned to the school for the Monday evening concert. Nobody bothered to check if the shotgun was empty.
So the big moment in the music happens... the student aims at the sandbox...
...and blasts a hole right through the damn stage!
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