How can I convincingly pretend to faint in a play without hurting myself?

Collapse at your knees. Think about it, if you want to get on the floor without hurting yourself you put your knee down first, or crouch. Both require bending your knees.

Try it at home on a carpeted floor to start with. Lower yourself without using your arms. You will bend your ankles one way and your knees and waist to form an S shape, if you allow yourself to go slightly side ways you will find yourself safely collapsing to the floor without hurting yourself.

Practice a few times on carpet or with some cushions to to get the technique. Make sure you don't bang your head. More.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.