of character comedy that was known as the _Commedia dell’ arte_. This
was performed by bands of professional actors who strolled about the
country giving their improvised plays to any chance audience. As time
went on and their popularity grew, the more clever of these bands
established themselves in theaters in the towns and cities, where they
gave a great variety of performances. The principal characters of their
plays were Harlequin, Scaramouch, Columbine, Pantalone, and Punchinello.
These characters all wore masks and were adepts in the art of pantomime.
These Italian musicians and actors of the _Commedia dell’ arte_ traveled
to Spain, France, and finally to England, where their boisterous humor
was warmly welcomed by high and low. Here is an account of one part of
the festivities that were given in Kenilworth, in the year 1576:
“Noow within allso ... waz thear showed before her Highness by an
Italian, such feats of agilitie, in goinges, turninges, tumblinges,
castinges, hops, jumps, leaps, skips, springs, gambauds, soomersaults,
caprittiez and flights; forward, backward, sydewize, a downward, upward,
and with sundry windings, gyrings and circumflexions; allso lightly and
with such easiness, as by me in feaw words it is not expressible by pen
or speech ... I bleast me by my faith to behold him, and began to doout
whither a waz a man or a spirite.... Az for thiz fellow I cannot tell
what to make of him, save that I may geese his back be metalld like a
lamprey, that haz no bones but a line like a lute-string.”
Pantomime was popular in England during the Reformation and morality
plays were given in dumb show.
French actors were greatly influenced by these clever traveling Italian
artists. They set up similar plays at their great fairs and finally
established a theater in Paris, in which music and pantomime were
developed to the highest perfection.
Until recent years nearly all that we have known of the great tradition
of pantomime came to us through the circus clowns. Among these were a
few artists such as Grimaldi, who never allowed their art to become low
and trivial.
Now, all this is quite changed, since the coming of the movie. The
moving picture depends entirely upon pantomime for interpreting
character and expressing emotion. The greatest of the movie actors are
great pantomimists. When we study the movements and gestures and the
facial expressions of such actors as Emil Jannings and Charlie Chaplin,
we begin to understand what pantomime really is. Chaliapin is another
great actor who understands the art of pantomime and uses it in opera.
Let us see how pantomime, music, and dance were used in the Christmas
mask described at the end of chapter II “Occasions for Wearing the
Mask.” Masks for this play had been made for the following characters: a
dignified king, a mournful queen, a gentle lady-in-waiting, an austere
learned bishop, a faithful son, a clever jester, a rollicking band of
mummers. Each pupil had made his own mask after very thorough study of
the character that he had chosen. Knowing his character well enabled
each student to interpret that character when he put on his mask, and
for the time of the play, each student sought to become that character,
king, queen, bishop, or mummer. The problem for each actor was that of
bringing his movements and gestures into harmony with his mask. The
king’s movements should be no less dignified and stately than his mask
suggested. The unhappy queen must express the sadness of her mask by her
drooping head and shoulders and by her impassive hands. Her mask was so
modeled that when lifted, it suggested a smile. This expression was
required when she lifted her head in joy at her son’s return.
The lady-in-waiting used pantomime to interpret her gentleness and
modesty and the music which accompanied her XIIIth Century song. This
song, sung off stage by one of the chorus, was singularly appropriate to
the pensive quality of her mask.
LADY-IN-WAITING’S SONG
Though the winter be a-cold
Safe the lamb lies in the fold
Roses red are sleeping
’Neath the brown earth deep and warm.
Spring at last with winter’s storm
Steals now so gently creeping.
Soon the rose will bloom and blow,
Soon the birds sing loud and low.
Love hath breathed not coldly.
Deep in dungeon underground,
Love the knight hath fastly bound.
To these he strideth boldly.
Thou bereft and all alone
By our Lady Mary’s Son,
Weep ye not so sadly!
Of his true love, found again
Never knight was half so fain.
Look! now He cometh gladly.
The jester used pantomime in his dance. His inspiration for his poses
came from the illustrations in old manuscripts and reproductions of old
manuscripts. He sketches these, and then, assisted by a teacher who
understood folk dancing, he worked out every step and pose to the music
of this, his song:
JESTER’S SONG
Here am I, the Count’s good fool.
(Ch.) Aye, aye, ah.
Laughter is my only rule.
(Ch.) Aye, aye, ah.
Tears alone do wake my rage.
(Ch.) Aye, aye, ah.
With a smile I gain my wage.
For jollity am I a page.
_Chorus_:
O, for joy! O, for joy!
Ah, to thee we dance
To thee we dance,
To thee we dance.
With many a wink and glance
At Merriment’s fool.
List my bauble’s tinkling noise,
(Ch.) Aye, aye, ah.
Kingly crowns my golden toys.
(Ch.) Aye, aye, ah.
Dee, with gallant, blythesome pose,
(Ch.) Aye, aye, ah.
Leap I high upon my toes
To offer my ladie a rose.
_Chorus_:
What can the mask, the age-old form of entertainment, give us to-day? It
is so far from mere representation that it allows us to escape from
realism and to enter freely into the world of fine and subtle character
interpretation. It is a form of entertainment that lends itself to
humor, to dignity, and to beauty, and enlists the finest creative
effort.
[Illustration: [Clown]]
SHADOWS
[Illustration: [Samurai]]
CHAPTER I
The Mystery of the Shadow
The life of primitive man was full of peril. Out of the struggle to
survive the dangers which threatened him on every side came fear and
superstition. He developed a great regard for shadows which he could not
understand. They were mysterious, they moved and changed, appeared and
disappeared. They eluded him and yet pursued him. The shadow became for
him a living thing. Gradually he came to look upon his own shadow as his
very soul. He felt that he must shield and protect it. Consequently he
would permit no one to step upon it, or even to touch it.
Stories of regard for the shadow come from many lands. The natives of
Nias, an island in the Dutch East Indies, greatly feared the rainbow,
because to them it was a powerful net set by a great spirit to catch
their shadows, and to destroy them.
Savages of Wetar, a neighboring island, believe that a man can be made
ill unto death if his shadow is stabbed, while the Ottawa Indians
believed that a man will die if certain figures are drawn upon his
shadow, and the Bushmen of Australia never allow their shadows to fall
upon dead game. They are confident that bad luck will follow them if
they do so. When a Malay builds a house, he takes the greatest care to
prevent his shadow from falling into the hole that is being dug for the
center post. If, by chance, his shadow should fall into the hole, he
feels certain that sickness and trouble will follow him.
Here is a curious tale that comes from India. A priest named Saukara
disagreed with the grand lama. In order to show his supernatural powers
he soared far up into the sky, his long shadow falling on the ground.
When the lama saw this shadow moving along on the ground, he drew out
his sword and struck it. Saukara fell to the earth.
In Africa, the natives believe that even trees must guard their shadows.
This is especially true of the trees that have medicinal leaves. A
Kaffir doctor runs up very quickly to one of these medicinal trees and
tries to avoid stepping on its shadow lest the shadow inform the tree of
his coming and give it time to withdraw the healing properties of its
leaves into the trunk.
One of the strangest customs that has existed since the time of the
Greeks is still practised in southeastern Europe. It is that of
measuring a strong man’s shadow and then of building the measuring line
into the foundations of a building. The people believe that the strength
of the man goes into the structure. In Roumania one frequently hears
when passing a building under construction this warning cry: “Beware
lest they take thy shadow.” There are certain people who go about
stealthily measuring the shadows of strong men. They sell these shadow
measuring lines to the architects.
Gradually the superstitious fear of shadows passed. In the place of this
fear came an interest in using shadows for entertainment. This may have
been suggested by the shadows that fell on the walls of the sacred tent
while the priests within were performing the holy rites.
Shadow plays originated in the Orient and are known in every Eastern
country. Here is a tale of their Chinese origin. An emperor grew angry
with his two court fools, and ordered their heads cut off. When his
anger cooled, he began to feel that life was dull. He then ordered his
grand vizier to bring his fools back to life. At this command, the
vizier was almost at his wit’s end for he knew that he would lose his
own head if he could not fulfil the royal command. One day he met a
fisherman with two great fishes. It suddenly occurred to him that he
might take the skins of these fishes, dry them, and cut out from them
two figures that would look like the two jesters. He succeeded in doing
this, and after much thought and labor, he was able once more to show
the Emperor his fools, this time as shadows against a lighted curtain,
acting for his entertainment. These shadows seemed to please the Emperor
even more than the living jesters.
In all Eastern countries the people usually prefer flat shadow figures
to round marionettes. Such shadow figures are made from the carefully
prepared skin of a goat or buffalo. After it has been stretched and
dried, a clever artist takes the translucent skin and cuts out from it
figures which represent the gods and heroes of the people. The
illustration shows a characteristic Javanese shadow figure. The
elaborate pattern is made by means of many small holes of different
shapes and sizes. This figure is further enriched with transparent
colors and gold. The arms are jointed at the shoulder and the elbow.
Slender rods of wood, bone, or ivory are then fastened to the body and
arms. The puppeteer manipulates the figure by means of these rods which
extend below the figure. The shapes of the figures are most interesting,
as you can see, with their strange headdresses, long noses, thin arms
and legs. Their gestures are so grotesque and fascinating that they are
like the strange people one meets only in dreams.
The theaters in which these shadow figures are shown are often no more
than an angle of two walls before which is hung an opaque curtain in
which there is a small opening with a bit of very fine linen stretched
over it. This is lighted from behind. Here the showman sits with his
figures all about him. And a very clever fellow he must be! Think of all
the things he must do. First, he must know by heart all the stories that
the people may wish to see acted, then he must know how to make the
proper speech for each of his puppets, as well as how to make it act its
part with the proper feeling and gestures. Further, he must be able to
direct the orchestra of several men playing tomtoms, to manage his
lights, and to shuffle his feet when that is necessary.
Can you guess how many puppets belong to his set? Count the characters
in your favorite plays. If you take a long play like Shakespeare’s
_Midsummer Night’s Dream_, and include a great band of fairies, there
will scarcely be more than fifty characters. This showman has from sixty
to one hundred and twenty shadows in his set. He must know just where
every one is placed so that he can put his hand upon it the moment it is
needed. He must also please people of many different tastes, therefore
he must be able to give serious plays; plays about the gods, about
giants and dragons, elves and fairies. Besides all of this he must know
a great many hero plays, for it is through his art that the great heroes
are kept alive.
Omar Khayyam, the Persian poet, compared life itself to a shadow-show.
For in and out, above, about, below,
Life’s nothing but a Magic Shadow-show.
Play’d in a Box whose Candle is the Sun,
Round which we Phantom Figures come and go.
The shadow figures of Oriental countries differ widely. For example,
those of China are as beautiful in pattern and in color as those of the
Javanese but are much less grotesque. The Turkish shadow figures are
less beautiful than the Chinese and Javanese figures. They are very
cleverly articulated, however, and so skilfully manipulated that they
furnish the most common and popular form of dramatic entertainment.
Black Eye or _Karagheuz_ is the rogue hero, and is known throughout
Turkey and the whole of northern Africa. The Karagheuz shows are the
usual attraction of Greek and Turkish coffee houses.
Among the many things that came to Europe through trading with the
Orient were Chinese shadow figures. They probably reached England early
in the XVIth Century.
We know that the clever showman, Powell, used motions or shadows in his
_Old Creation of the World with the Addition of Noah’s Flood_, in 1641.
More than a century later Chinese shadow plays came under royal favor in
France. There they have been changed and adapted in many ways. The
modern French shadow plays are pretentious, with many scenes and
numerous characters. All the countries of Europe have made some use of
the cut-out shadow figures.
Recently cut-out shadow figures have found a rival. This has come about
through the growing appreciation of the dramatic possibilities of the
human shadow figure. Modern lighting has done much toward this end,
because it has made possible a clearly defined silhouette on the shadow
screen.
[Illustration:
_Upper: Scene from cut out shadow play, "The Traveling Musicians of
Bremen."_
_Lower: Behind the scenes in a cut out shadow play, given by eighth
grade pupils of Fairmount Junior High School, Cleveland, Ohio._
]
The art of the human shadow is not limited. It uses acting, dancing,
music, the voice, and color. With a sense of design and arrangement, a
beautiful picture is created before the audience every moment. The human
shadow play is a new challenge to imagination, taste, and ingenuity.
[Illustration: [Marionette]]
[Illustration: [Shadows]]
CHAPTER II
Making a Shadow Play
It is not at all difficult to make a shadow play if one knows what the
requirements are. The first requirement of either a cut-out shadow play
or a human play is that its story shall have action. In this it is like
a movie. You will recall how keenly you enjoy the action in such movies
as _Robin Hood_ and the _Black Pirate_. The second requirement is a
dramatic plan or problem. This is necessary in order to hold the
attention of the audience. For example, the dramatic plan or problem in
the _Black Pirate_ is the struggle of the hero to free himself from the
pirates. Your attention is held by this struggle. The third requirement
is the selection of the most important and interesting characters in the
play. Since the success of a shadow play depends upon interesting
silhouettes, each character must have individuality. No two silhouettes
should be alike, either in appearance or size. As an illustration of
this, notice that the shadow figures at the top of page 215 are of
different appearance and height. Lastly, the settings of a shadow play
should be very simple and suggestive and help to tell the story.
Nursery rhymes and fables, folk and fairy tales are delightful material
for cut-out shadow plays. They are vivid, humorous, and fanciful. They
are full of direct conversation which can be carried on by the
puppeteers behind the screen or by a reader in front of the screen. In
the following list you may find a story to turn into a cut-out shadow
play. Nursery rhymes such as: _Little Bo Peep_, _Old King Cole_, _The
Knave of Hearts_, _A Frog Who Would A-Wooing Go_, and _The House That
Jack Built_. Fables such as those of Æsop, La Fontaine, and Bidpai. Folk
and fairy tales, such as: _Cinderella_, _Beauty and the Beast_, _Jack
and the Beanstalk_, _The Three Little Pigs_, _The Elves and the
Shoemaker_, _Seven at a Blow_, _Snow White and the Dwarfs_, _The Three
Bears_, _Red Riding Hood_, _Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp_, _Sleeping
Beauty_, _The Mermaid_, _Just-So Stories_, _Three Billy Goats Gruff_,
_The Traveling Musicians of Bremen_, and _The Pied Piper of Hamelin
Town_. Bible stories can be turned into beautiful shadow plays. For
example, David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion’s Den, Jonah and the
Whale, and Joseph and His Brethren.
Tales of heroism and adventure, ballads and poems, stories of Christmas
and Easter, Bible stories and stories of the lives of the saints are
appropriate for human shadow plays because they have great human
interest and give opportunity for dramatic interpretation. The following
list may be a guide to you in choosing your play: William Tell, Robin
Hood, King Arthur, Roland and Oliver, Hiawatha, The Cid, Joseph and His
Brethren, The Story of Moses, David and Jonathan, David Before Saul, The
Good Samaritan, The Story of Ruth, The Story of Queen Esther, The Story
of St. Francis of Assisi, The Nativity, The Christ-child Legend, Where
Love Is There God Is. Also, and Christmas carols such as: Good King
Wenceslaus, We Three Kings of the Orient Are, Here We Come A Wassailing,
and Little Town of Bethlehem.
Boys and girls who have originality and a gift for writing will find
great pleasure in making their own shadow plays. These can be done
either in prose or in verse. They can do this easily, if they keep in
mind the requirements—action, dramatic interest, individuality of
characters, and a simple, harmonious setting. It is worth trying.
[Illustration: [Shadows]]
[Illustration:
_Scenes from the cut out shadow play, "The Traveling Musicians of
Bremen."_
]
[Illustration: [Shadows]]
CHAPTER III
Producing Cut-out Shadow Plays
When you were very young you probably were quite skilful in making
shadow rabbits, ducks, and donkeys on the nursery walls. With a friend
you may have cut out paper animals and people and fastened them to
sticks and then made a shadow play with their shadows on the wall.
Your interest in shadows may have led you to stretch a sheet across the
upper part of a doorway and cover the lower part with a shawl. Here you
stood concealed from your audience while you moved your shadow figures
back and forth in a lively fashion as you spoke the lines of a favorite
nursery rhyme or improvised a play.
The next step was converting the old three-part screen into a shadow
booth.
[Illustration:
_The frame_ (_A_), _upon which is fastened the translucent paper or
cloth_ (_B_), _slides in and out of the standard at the grooves C,
C._
]
When one wishes to use scenery with cut-out shadows some sort of frame
is necessary to hold the screen. Here is a plan for a very simple and
inexpensive standard. You can see that you can have any number of
screens for this kind of standard, because it allows the screens to be
slipped in and out in a moment. The materials required other than the
lumber are unbleached muslin or cheap white window shades and black
showcard colors, and a few brushes of different sizes. The muslin should
be stretched and tacked to the frame. If you use a window shade it will
not be necessary to stretch it and it provides an excellent surface on
which to paint the scenery.
Making a shadow play is jolly good fun. First, make a list of the most
important incidents in the story. Second, decide upon the number of
scenes that you think necessary for your play. Third, decide upon the
number of characters required for these scenes. You will be surprised to
find how few characters and incidents are needed to tell your story.
Choose only those which are most important. Know your story well before
you begin. Let us choose the traveling musicians of Bremen for our play.
The list of important incidents are as follows:
Incident I— Donkey on the road
Incident II— Donkey meets Dog
Incident III— Donkey and Dog meet Cat
Incident IV— Donkey, Dog, and Cat meet Cock
Incident V— Donkey, Dog, Cat, and Cock seek shelter for night in the
wood
Incident VI— Cock sees a distant light
Incident VII— Donkey looks through the window of the robbers’ house
Incident VIII— Donkey, Dog, Cat, and Cock break through the window
Incident IX— Robbers flee with fright
Incident X— The animals devour the robbers’ feast
Incident XI— The animals settle themselves for the night
Incident XII— One of the robbers returns
Incident XIII— He is scratched by the Cat
Incident XIV— He is bitten by the Dog
Incident XV— He is kicked by the Donkey
Incident XVI— The Cock calls “Cock-a-doodle-doo”
Incident XVII— The robber flees to his companions
Incident XVIII— The robber describes the witch that clawed him, the demon
that stabbed him, the giant that beat him with a club, the
fateful spirit on the roof that screamed “Throw him up to
me.” Four scenes will tell the story.
Scene I— The roadside
Scene II— The deep wood
Scene III— The robbers’ house
Scene IV— The roadside
These four scenes require twelve characters: Donkey, Dog, Cat, Cock,
Four Robbers, Witch, Demon, Giant, and the fateful spirit. Each
character must be analyzed, for both disposition and general appearance.
Shadow figures require careful planning, because they present but one
silhouette throughout the play. Naturally this silhouette must be the
most characteristic one. The shape of the nose, chin, and head, of the
hands, the feet, and the body, all must be closely studied. Let us see
how a shadow figure is made. Let us begin with the Donkey. He looks old,
thin, and neglected, but he still has spirit enough to start out into
the world. His thin body and neck show that he is old and misused. His
strong jaw shows his will and determination. Before you draw him on a
piece of paper you should decide on his size. The scale is determined by
the size of the shadow screen. Let us suppose that this is 21 inches by
28 inches and that your scale is two inches to the foot. The Donkey is
made about 8½ inches high by 10 inches long, the robbers 11 and 12
inches high, the Dog four inches high by 4½ inches long, and the Cock 3
inches high by 4¼ inches long. After you have drawn the Donkey to scale,
cut him out and hold him behind a sheet of paper near the light and
study his silhouette. Are you satisfied? If not, draw another donkey.
[Illustration:
_Moving parts are pivoted with paper fasteners (a). Wires running up
the sticks_ (_f_) _to move the tail, neck and jaw are looped through
the eyelets_ (_c_). _Thumb tacks_ (_b_) _or glue may be used to
fasten the figure to the sticks. Pivot points should be eyeletted
before inserting the fasteners; for greater ease in working, it is
sometimes well to let the head of a fastener come between two parts
as at_ (_e_). _The movement of the jaw piece blinks the eye which is
cut at_ (_d_).
]
[Illustration: [Cut-outs]]
What is the Donkey expected to do? Move his jaw when he talks, move his
tail and ears and his legs when he walks. How can this be done? The
illustration may look very complicated at first. Study it carefully and
follow the directions and your donkey will be able to walk, open and
close his mouth, blink his eyes, and move his tail and ears. The
materials that you will need are black construction paper or any heavy
paper, thin sticks about 2 inches long and ⅜ inch wide, eyelets, and
long-pronged brass paper fasteners, thumb tacks, and light-weight wire.
Not all shadow animals are as complicated as this donkey. Here are a
deer, a cock, and a dog, each made of just three pieces of paper. The
illustrations of the farmer, fairy queen, and elf (see end of chapter)
will show how the human figures are made.
[Illustration: [Cut-outs]]
When you have finished constructing the cut-out shadow figures, your
next problem will be making the scenery. Composition and pattern are
extremely important in shadow pictures, for nothing in the world reveals
the fascination of dark and light more than the shadow play. If you can
recall the beauty of the landscape in a heavy winter snowstorm when the
branches and trunks of the trees are velvety black against masses of
white, you can appreciate this. Every tree has a characteristic
silhouette which everyone recognizes. A shadow pine tree must suggest
the silhouette of the pine, likewise the oak, the elm, and the poplar,
must suggest their silhouettes. So, too, with flowers and grasses. The
wide prairies were suggested by the coarse prairie grass in the _Indian
and the Oki_. Summer meadows were suggested by the flowers and slender
grasses in _The Shepherdess_.
When you have finished the plans for a scene take crayon or soft pencil
and draw it in outline on one of the screens. Use black showcard color
to fill that part of your scene which is to be dark. For a black
silhouette paint both sides of the screen. Distant hills and trees
should be painted on one side only.
For lighting use a lantern or an extension light. Place it about six
feet directly behind the screen. Color can be thrown on the screen by
placing a sheet of colored gelatine in front of the light. Experiment
with the light and color until you get the effects you wish.
If you use tracing cloth, such as the architects use, for your screen,
you may paint on it directly, with transparent water colors. When the
light comes through this screen, if you have kept your colors clear,
brilliant, and well related, the effect will be charming.
[Illustration:
_Behind the scenes in the human shadow play, "The Indian and the Oki."
Here you can see the well-stretched sheet on its large frame, the
beaver board trees (left), great rock (right), bristol board
foliage, grasses, and flowers, the bridge resting on 8″ horses.
Notice that the actors stand very near the screen. The two actors on
the right concealed by the great rock from the audience are
manifesting the pair of fighting sparrows. The girl on the left is
manifesting the rabbit which is shown in Scene I._
]
The shadow figure is manipulated from below. This means that you must
stand below the screen so that your own shadow will not be cast upon the
screen. As you bring your shadow figure forward, you will notice that as
it approaches the screen it grows smaller and smaller. To prevent the
figure from varying in size it should be held close against the screen.
Unlike the marionette that moves forward and backward as well as to the
right and left, the shadow figure can move only to the right or left.
With this limitation, however, it is surprising to find how many
movements and gestures are possible. Suit the action to the word. Avoid
jerky gestures and repetition of the same gesture.
The lines of the shadow play can be given by the puppeteers or by a
reader or readers in front of the screen. If the puppeteers are to speak
the lines they should sit down together and read the play again and
again, until they can speak the lines naturally and without hesitation.
When they can do this, they are ready to begin rehearsals with the
shadow figures. Do not hurry. Every word should be clearly spoken.
If two or three short plays are being given in a program, two readers,
one standing at the left and one at the right of the screen, can read
the lines alternately.
The shadow play is a delightful kind of entertainment for young and old.
It is appropriate for the home, the school, the settlement, and the
Sunday school. It has the advantage of requiring very little time to
produce, the materials are inexpensive, and it is an artistic means of
expression.
[Illustration: [Cut-outs]]
[Illustration: [Child]]
CHAPTER IV
Producing Human Shadow Plays
Did you ever feel about your shadow as Robert Louis Stevenson did, when
he wrote:
“I have a little shadow,
That goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him,
Is more than I can see.”
If you ever took part in a shadow game, you discovered many surprising
uses for your shadow. You may remember how you stretched a sheet in a
doorway and played the game of guessing silhouettes. This was highly
entertaining, and somewhat difficult when familiar faces were disguised
by unusual noses and chins. Then there were the shadow charades and the
game of guessing book titles.
If you wish to give a shadow play with scenery and several actors
performing at one time, then a large shadow screen becomes necessary.
This can be made from 2-inch strips of wood, strengthened in the corners
as shown in the illustration. The size of this screen will be determined
by the width of the sheeting which is to cover it. The screen used at
the Cleveland Museum of Art for the shadow plays _The Indian and the
Oki_ and _The Shepherdess_ was 7¼ feet high by 12 feet long, and was
covered with sheeting 90 inches in width. Great care was used in the
stretching of the sheet. The tacks were placed about two inches apart.
The reason for choosing _The Indian and the Oki_ for a shadow play was
that it had action and characters that were very individual, such as
would be easily recognized when they fell on the shadow screen. Another
reason for choosing this story was that its scenery could be suggested
by silhouettes. The group of boys and girls who gave this play selected
important incidents of the story and re-arranged them and added
incidents wherever they found it necessary. The following twelve
incidents made up the first act:
1. Rabbit wiggles ears, hops across stage.
2. Sparrows scrap upon rock, first gently, growing furious.
3. Eagle swoops across and down upon rock; birds leave.
4. Wild cat moves slightly, winks eye, raises tail, arches back ready
for spring as
5. Scandawatti peeps from rock, then disappears, then Indian lad
appears, with bow and arrow and shoots at wild cat, hits bear.
[Illustration:
_Scenes from the human shadow play, "The Indian and the Oki"_
]
6. Bear bounds forward, pulls out arrow from shoulder with teeth, eyes
flash, rushes forward as lad attempts to climb rock, misses hold at top,
slips, almost falls backward, bear ready to pounce.
7. Achilles appears at right side, shoots quickly, bear rolls over,
Scandawatti leaps to feet, looks in surprise from bear to Achilles,
comes forward, examines gun.
8. Chief enters from right slowly, approaches boys, lad tells him of
escape.
9. French trapper enters from left, approaches, lays hand on Achilles,
hears story. Scandawatti leads way to Chief Iliol. Trapper gives pistols
to both boys who admire them. Chief nods satisfaction. Both trapper and
chief leave together to right.
10. Boys examine, admire, and handle pistols.
11. Red Deer sneaks from behind rock and looks jealously at weapons,
moves hands and body as if eager to possess prize, disappears.
12. Curtain closes as lads pledge friendship and prepare to leave.
The incidents chosen for the second act were:
1. Squaw stirs stew in the kettle that hangs over the fire.
2. Trapper and Chief Iliol enter and sit down. Squaw brings the pipe of
peace. They smoke.
3. An indian enters and dances to the tomtoms. The trapper, chief, and
dancer leave.
4. Scandawatti enters with a basket full of fish and Achilles with a
game bag full of rabbits and ducks. They give these to the squaw.
5. Scandawatti and Achilles sit on the ground and play with their
pistols.
6. Red Deer peers from behind bushes.
7. Squaw gives each boy a bowl of the stew. They eat greedily.
8. Boys undo bundle in which there are knives and beads. Achilles holds
up the Oki or false face.
9. Scandawatti, alarmed, jumps up and runs. Achilles runs after him,
carrying the Oki.
10. Red Deer enters, stealthily, and reaches for the pistols.
11. Achilles lifts up the Oki from behind a rock. Red Deer drops the
pistols and flees.
12. Scandawatti and Achilles enter laughing, pick up weapons, wrap
themselves in blankets, and lie down to sleep.
For the third act they chose the following:
1. A turkey runs across the stage.
2. Red Deer follows with Scandawatti. He binds him to a tree, then runs
after the turkey.
3. Red Deer returns with dead turkey. Builds a fire and places the
turkey over it.
4. Red Deer dances about, mocking Scandawatti.
5. Achilles peeks from behind rock. Motions to Scandawatti to have
courage. Then sticks up the Oki and waves it about in the air.
6. Red Deer flies in terror.
7. Achilles frees Scandawatti.
8. They devour the turkey.
9. The trapper and Indian chief appear and all rejoice.
Shadow plays require just as careful character analysis as any other
kind of play. Here is the character analysis.
Scandawatti, brave, loyal, fun loving.
Achilles, courageous, loyal, resourceful.
Red Deer, treacherous and superstitious.
Chief Iliol, trustworthy and dignified.
Squaw, stolid and good-natured.
Trapper, just and reliable.
Dancer, lively.
The story included the bear and turkey, the rabbit, wild cat, hawk and
birds were added for the sake of the picture. The illustrations show how
the turkey, wild cat, and birds were made.
The scenery consisted of tree trunks, branches, and a big rock cut from
beaver board, and foliage, flowers, and grasses cut from light-weight
bristol board.
The properties needed were a tripod and a kettle, a stick for the fire,
a basket of corn, bowls and a ladle, pistols, strings of beads, a game
bag filled with paper game, a fish basket filled with paper fish, bow
and arrow, gun, rope, two blankets, and a peace pipe.
The costuming of a shadow play is quite a different problem from the
costuming of any other kind of play. A costume may look quite right to
the eye and yet be ineffective as a shadow. It requires ingenuity and
much experimenting to produce satisfactory silhouettes. Scandawatti, Red
Deer, and the dancer wore loin cloths, head band, and feathers. The
Indian chief wore headdress and blanket. The squaw wore a fringed
curtain, head band, and beads. The trapper and Achilles wore trappers’
costumes and coon-skin caps. A boy took the part of the bear in a bear
costume made from outing flannel.
[Illustration: [Cut-outs]]
The profiles of the children were not in the least Indianlike. It was
necessary to provide them with characteristic Indian noses and this was
done by glueing on flat cut-out paper noses.
The producing of a shadow play requires a director and two assistants,
as well as the group of actors. The director is responsible for the
production of the play which will probably require five or six
rehearsals. During the first rehearsal he stays behind the screen,
working out with the group each incident of the play. He and the group
decide upon the entrances, positions on the bridge, the exits, and those
who are to manipulate the shadow animals receive their instructions. The
reader should be present at the first rehearsal, in order to observe the
development of the play. At this rehearsal the actors need not be in
costume. Each actor begins by interpreting his part as he feels it
should be done. The Director should inspire and encourage his actors to
do their best and guard against being too critical at this time, since
everyone is feeling his way—becoming familiar with properties, and with
this new kind of acting in one plane.
It was in the first rehearsal of _The Indian and the Oki_ that the boy
who took the part of Scandawatti discovered, as he was trying to escape
from the bear, that it would look more natural if he got out of the
bear’s reach by climbing the rock, rather than by dodging behind it.
When a stepladder was placed behind the beaver-board rock, the boy,
after much practice, was able to make it appear to the audience that he
was really climbing the rock. He was finally able to give a little slip
as he reached the top, just as the bear was about to overtake him. This
gave a real thrill to the young spectators.
At the second rehearsal the Director takes his position in front of the
screen. He watches every movement and gesture of the actors. He guides
the actors who cannot see their shadows, because they are so close to
the screen. If he understands pattern and rhythm he can direct their
movements so that every movement of the shadow play will be beautiful.
The reader begins his part at the second rehearsal. He can give an
introduction and carry the story on between the acts, or he can read as
the play is being given. The reader may be a girl or a boy and should be
chosen for a rich, well-modulated voice, dramatic sense, and ability to
enunciate distinctly. The reader should be appropriately costumed.
Introducing a dancer in a shadow play presents a problem. In the second
scene of _The Indian and the Oki_ you can see in the illustration how
the height, and bulk, and dignity of the Indian chief on the left and
the curved line of the trapper’s body on the right were used to frame
the space for the rhythmic movements of the dancer. The dancer also had
his problems. The first was that of keeping a characteristic Indian
silhouette on the screen at all times. The second problem was that of
varying his movements to show his veneration for his chief and his
adoration for the Great Spirit. The beating of the tomtom gave the tempo
for the steps of his dance. A teacher who understood folk dancing
coached the boy who took this part outside of the regular rehearsals, so
that he might gain confidence and skill.
[Illustration:
_More scenes from the human shadow play, "The Indian and the Oki."_
]
By the fourth or fifth rehearsal, if the actors can interpret their part
naturally and convincingly, they will be ready to put on their costumes.
Here many surprises await them. As an illustration of this the
shepherdess in the play by that name made, for herself, a very correct
little bodice. When she appeared on the shadow screen her silhouette was
very disappointing. In order to give the right effect, a short length of
cheesecloth was slashed six or seven times at the ends, and then drawn
tightly around her, and the slashed ends were tied together down the
front. You can see her in the illustration, as she kneels on the bridge
manipulating one of the fighting sparrows in the first scene of _The
Indian and the Oki_. The long heavy braids of this shepherdess were made
of yarn.
Any ordinary lantern or an electric light with a reflector may be used
for lighting the screen. A screen 7 by 12 feet will require a 400-watt
light placed about eighteen feet behind it. If you have very little
space behind your screen, your lantern may throw a large disk of light.
You can avoid this disk by fastening to the front of the lantern a piece
of asbestos with an opening cut to the same proportions as the screen.
There are many possibilities of using color in a shadow play. A safe
rule to follow is either to use color throughout a play or not to use
color at all. A sheet of colored gelatine placed in front of the light
will diffuse color over the entire screen. The time of day can be
suggested by color: pink for early morning, yellow for noon,
yellow-orange for the late afternoon, blue or blue-green for night.
In the second scene of _The Indian and the Oki_, yellow-orange gelatine
was used to indicate the late summer afternoon. Under the cardboard
kettle a red bulb, partly concealed by sticks and twigs, suggested fire.
The depths of the sea can be suggested by covering the light with green
gelatine and using cut-out shells, seaweeds, and water plants as
scenery. Water sprites and fanciful sea creatures would be at home in
such a setting.
Music is a beautiful accompaniment for shadow plays, especially for
Christmas and Easter celebrations. Imagine a shadow play in six scenes
built about the Nativity according to the gospels of St. Matthew and St.
Luke.
_Scene I—The Annunciation_
“The angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named
Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the
house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in
unto her, and said, ‘Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is
with thee; blessed art thou among women.’” (St. Luke, I: 26, 27, 28.)
_Scene II—The Angel and the Shepherds_
“And there were in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flocks by night. And, lo, the angel of the
Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them:
and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not,
for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to
all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a
Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you;
Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a
manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the
heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth, peace and good will toward men.’ And it came to pass, as
the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to
one another, ‘Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing
which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.’” (St.
Luke, II: 3–16.)
_Scene III—The Adoration of the Shepherds_
“The Shepherds came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the
babe lying in a manger.” (St. Luke, II: 17.)
_Scene IV—The Coming of the Wise Men_
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod
the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
saying, ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen
his star in the east and are come to worship him.’” (St. Matthew, II:
1, 3.)
_Scene V—Simeon and the Young Child_
“And behold there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and
the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of
Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him, and it was revealed unto him
by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the
Lord’s Christ. And he came by Spirit into the Temple: and when the
parents brought the Child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the
law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy
word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared
before the face of all peoples: a light to lighten the Gentiles and
the glory of thy people Israel.’” (St. Luke, II: 25, 33.)
_Scene VI—The Flight into Egypt_
“And the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying,
‘Arise, and take the young Child and his mother, and flee into Egypt,
and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the
young Child to destroy him.’ When he arose he took the young Child and
his mother by night, and departed into Egypt, and was there until the
death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the
Lord by the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt have I called my son.’”
(St. Matthew, II: 13, 11.)
These incidents, so simple, vivid, and beautiful when reverently
interpreted as shadow plays, seem to carry something of the age-old
mystery of the shadow.
[Illustration:
_Scenes from the human shadow play, "The Shepherdess."_
]
In the East, shadow plays are an intimate part of the everyday life of
the people. In the Western world they have, so far, meant very little.
European artists have already discovered their possibilities and are
even carrying the shadow into the world of the movie, revealing new
fields as a challenge to our creative efforts.
[Illustration: [Fish]]
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A LIST OF BOOKS SUGGESTED FOR THE MAKING OF MARIONETTE PLAYS
PAGE
Humorous Tales 245
Heroic Tales 246
Tales of Adventure 247
Fairy Tales 248
Unclassified 249
A SHORT LIST OF REFERENCE BOOKS ON COSTUME 253
A SHORT LIST OF BOOKS ON MARIONETTES 257
A SHORT LIST OF BOOKS THAT CONTAIN INFORMATION ON THE MASK AND
SHADOWS
The Mask 261
Shadows 262
LIST OF BOOKS SUGGESTED FOR THE MAKING OF MARIONETTE PLAYS
HUMOROUS TALES
_Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_, by Carroll. Macmillan
_Gulliver’s Travels_, by Swift. Macmillan
_Don Quixote_, by Cervantes. Dodd
_Peter and Wendy_, by Barrie. Scribner
_Just-So Stories_, by Kipling. Doubleday
_Uncle Remus_, by Harris. Appleton
_Tom Sawyer_, by Clemens. Harper
_Alice, Through the Looking Glass_, by Carroll. Macmillan
_Pinocchio, the Story of a Marionette_, by Lorenzini. Ginn
_Midsummer Night’s Dream_, by Shakespeare. Edited by Rolfe, Am. Book
Co., Hudson, Ginn
_Rip Van Winkle_, by Irving. Macmillan
_Arabian Nights_, by Colum. Macmillan
_Rose and the Ring_, by Thackeray, Stokes. Macmillan
_Wind in the Willows_, by Grahame. Scribner
_Tales of Laughter_, by Wiggin and Smith. Doubleday
HEROIC TALES
_Sohrab and Rustum_, by Arnold. Houghton
_The Boys’ Iliad_, by Perry. Macmillan
_The Boys’ Odyssey_, by Perry. Macmillan
_Robin Hood_, by Pyle. Scribner
_The Tales of Troy and Greece_, by Lang. Longmans
_The Story of Roland_, by Baldwin. Scribner
_Brave Beowulf_, Ed. Cartwright. Dutton
_Joan of Arc_, by Boutet de Monvel. Century
_Ivanhoe_, by Scott. Houghton
_Daniel Boone_, by White. Doubleday
_Britain Long Ago_, by Wilmot-Buxton. London: Harrap
_The Book of King Arthur and his Noble Knights_, by Macleod. Stokes
_The Adventures of Ulysses_, by Lamb. Ginn
_The Story of the Cid_, Ed. by Wilson. Lothrop
_Stories of Charlemagne_, by Church. Macmillan
_Seven Champions of Christendom_, by Cartwright. Dutton
_Story of Sigurd_, the Volsung, by Morris. Longmans
_Robinson Crusoe_, by Defoe. Harper, Houghton
_Norse Stories Retold_, by Mabie. Rand
TALES OF ADVENTURE
_The Boy’s Percy_, by Lanier. Scribner
_The Black Arrow_, By Stevenson. Scribner
_William Tell_, by Schmidt & Marshall. McClurg, Dutton
_Treasure Island_, by Stevenson. Scribner
_Men of Iron_, by Pyle. Harper
_Wonder Book_, by Hawthorne. Houghton
_Otto of the Silver Hand_, by Pyle. Scribner
_The Boy’s Froissart_, Ed. by Lanier. Scribner
_Tales from the Alhambra_, by Irving. Houghton
_Story of the Canterbury Pilgrims_, retold by Darton, by Chaucer.
Stokes
_The Lance of Kanana_, by French. Lathrop
_Spurs of Gold_, by Greene. Little
_The Golden Perch_, by Hutchinson. Longmans
_Captains Courageous_, by Kipling. Doubleday
_Book of Bravery_, by Lanier. Scribner
_The Last of the Mohicans_, by Cooper. Holt
FAIRY TALES
_Hans Christian Andersen_, Tr. by Mrs. E. Lucas. Dutton
_The Brothers Grimm_, Tr. by Lucy Crane. Macmillan
_The Wonderful Adventures of Nils_, by Lagerlöf. Doubleday
_The Blue Bird_, by Maeterlinck. Dodd
_Water Babies_, by Kingsley. Houghton
_The Little Lame Prince_, by Craik. Lippincott
_Old Peter’s Russian Tales_, by Ransome. Rand, McNally
_Japanese Fairy Book_, by Ozaki. Dutton
_Æsop’s Fables_, Ed. by Jacobs. Macmillan
_Undine_, by LaMotte Fouqué. Doubleday
_Story of the Rheingold_, by Chapin. Harper
UNCLASSIFIED
_Little Women_, by Alcott. Little
_Bird’s Christmas Carol_, by Wiggin. Houghton
_Rip Van Winkle_, by Irving. Macmillan
_Oliver Twist_, by Dickens. Scribner
_Prince and the Pauper_, by Clemens. Macmillan
_The Christmas Carol_, by Dickens. Macmillan
_Heidi_, by Spyri. Ginn. Houghton
_Cricket on the Hearth_, by Dickens. Rand
_David Copperfield_, by Dickens. Scribner
_The Tempest_, by Shakespeare, Ed. Rolfe. Amer. Bk. Co., Hudson, Ginn
_The Merchant of Venice_, by Shakespeare, Ed. Rolfe. Amer. Bk. Co.,
Hudson, Ginn
_King of the Golden River_, by Ruskin. Page
_Master Skylark_, by Bennett. Century
_Gabriel and His Hour Book_, by Stein. Page
_The Piper_, by Peabody. Houghton
_Evangeline_, by Longfellow. Houghton
_Story Telling Ballads_, by Olcott. Houghton
_Hiawatha_, by Longfellow. Houghton
_Lady of the Lake_, by Scott. Houghton
_Lays of Ancient Rome_, by Macaulay. Houghton
_The Piper of Hamelin_, by Browning. Rand
A SHORT LIST OF REFERENCE BOOKS ON COSTUME
_The Heritage of Dress_, by Webb. London, E. Grant Richards
_A Study of Costume_, by Sage. Scribner
_Chats on Costume_, by Rhead. Stokes
_Dress Design_, by Hughes. Macmillan
_Greek Dress_, by Abrahams. London, John Murray
_British Costume During 19 Centuries_, by Ashdown. Edinburgh, T. C. &
E. C. Jack
_The History of Fashion in France_, Tr. by Mrs. Hoey & M. Lillie.
London, Scribner and Wetford
_Costuming a Play_, by Elizabeth Grimball & Rhea Wells. Century
_Historic Dress in America_, by McClellan. Jacobs
_The Encyclopædia Britannica_
A SHORT LIST OF BOOKS ON MARIONETTES
_Heroes of the Puppet Stage_, by Anderson. Harcourt
_The Book of Marionettes_, by Joseph. Huebsch
_The Tony Sarg Marionette Book_, McIsaacs. Greenburg
_The Mask_—Vols. I-VIII, by Craig
_The Marionette_, by Craig
There are also many excellent books on the subject of Marionettes in
French, German, and Italian. These are very exhaustive studies,
fully illustrated, that will repay investigation.
A SHORT LIST OF BOOKS THAT CONTAIN INFORMATION ON THE MASK AND SHADOWS
THE MASK
_Masks and Demons_, by Macgowan & Rosse. Harcourt
_The Golden Bough_, by Frazer. Macmillan
_History of the Harlequinade_, by Sand. Lippincott
_Clowns_, by Disher. Constable
_Manners, Customs & Dress of the Middle Ages_, by LaCroix. Appleton
_The Theater of the Greek_, by Donaldson. Macmillan
_The Greek Theater_, by Flickinger. University of Chicago
_History of Classical Greek Literature_, by Mahaffy. Macmillan
_Noh_, by Fenelossa & Pound. Knopf
_Field Museum Guide_—Part I, by Laufer. Field Museum
_The NO Plays of Old Japan_, by Stopes. Dutton
_The NO Plays of Japan_, by Waley. Knopf
_Medicine-Men of the Apache_, by Bourke
_9th Annual Report, U. S. Bureau of American Ethnology_
_Tusayan Katcinas_, by Fewkes
_15th Annual Report, U. S. Bureau of American Ethnology_
_The Point Barrow Eskimo_, by Murdoch
_9th Annual Report, U. S. Bureau of American Ethnology_
There are several excellent books on Masks in French, German, and
Italian
SHADOWS
_The Golden Bough_, by Frazer. Macmillan
_Field Museum Guide_, by Laufer. Field Museum
_The Book of Marionettes_, by Joseph. Viking Press
_A Book about the Theater_, by Mathews. Viking Press
_Masks and Demons_, by Macgowan and Rosse. Harcourt
Very important work in this field has been done by the German writers,
Georg Jacob, Otto Höver, Wilhelm Grube, and Hellmut Ritter.
INDEX
African Masks, 144
_Alice in Wonderland_, Marionette Play, 35–36
Angelo, Michael, 28
American Puppets, 22
Animal:
Burattini, 57
Marionettes, 80–83
Masks, 144, 146, 149
Shadows, 218, 219, 220, 230
Anderson, Madge, 23
Antiquity of
Marionettes, 1
Masks, 143
Shadows, 203
Anvil, A puppet property, 104
Antiochus, King of Syria, 9
Archimedes, 7, 25
Arms, for Marionettes, 72
Arlequino, 12, 13
Aztec Masks, 146
Athens, 7
Attaching head of Marionette, 74
Austria, 21
Backgrounds, 75
Ballet, Marionette, 125, 127
Bear, Marionette, 81
Behavior behind the Scenes, 137–138
Benda, W. T., 151
Bergamo, 12
Bible Costumes, 171
Bibliography, 241
Marionettes, 245
Masks, 261
Shadows, 262
Costume Books, 253
Bishops’ Costume, 179
Body, of Burattini, 56
Marionette, 70
Bohemia, 22
Brazier, a puppet property, 111
Brazilian Masks, 146
Briocchi, Giovanni & Francesco, 15
Bronze Masks, 144
Browne, Mrs. Maurice, 23
Brushes, use and care of, 96
Burato cloth, 12
Burattini, description of, 8, 12, 52
Burma, 3
Burmese Masks, 148
Castles, for Marionette stage, 84–85
Catacombs, puppets found in, 9
Caterpillar Marionette, 83, 110
Cavalier costume, 188
Cervantes, 27
Character, study of, 63–64
Character Masks, 161, 166
China, 1, 4
Chinese Masks, 147–148
Christians, Their use of puppets, 9
Christmas Masks, 153–159
Christmas Shadow play, 234–236
Churches, use of puppets in, 10, 11
Color Mixing, suggestions for, 93–95
Colonial Costume, 191
Columbine, 198
Columbus, 187
Commedia dell’arte, 150, 151, 198
Construction of Marionette, 52–83
Masks, 160–164
Puppet Stages, 47–50
Marionette properties, 101–111
Marionette scenery, 84–100
Shadow figures, 219–221, 230
Shadow standard, 216
Controllers, 59–60, 79
Copper Masks, 144
Costume,
Imaginative, 169
Period, 169
Indian, 170
Bible, 171
Egyptian, 172, 173
Cretan, 174
Greek, 175–176
Roman, 177
Early Church, 178–179
Crusader, 180–181
Twelfth Century, 182
Thirteenth Century, 184
Fifteenth Century, 185
Sixteenth Century, 186–187
Seventeenth Century, cavalier, 188–189
Seventeenth Century, pilgrim, 189
Eighteenth Century, French, 190
Eighteenth Century, Colonial, 191
Costuming Marionettes, 76
Costume materials, 191–193
Craig, Gordon, 32
Cretan costume, 174
Crusaders’ enjoy religious puppet plays, 10
Crusaders’ costume, 180–181
Curtains, material, dyeing & making of, 99–101
Cyrano de Bergerac, 17
Dancing, for Marionettes, 124
for the Mask, 201
_David Copperfield_, Marionette play, 42–44, 107
Dilley, Perry, 23
Dionysus, 149
Dolls, 1, 3,
Wooden dolls, 13
Dolls into Marionettes, 58
Dolls’ heads for Burattini, 53
_Don Quixote_, 18, 27
Doré, Gustave, 28
Dove Marionette, 82
Duncan, William, 23
Dyeing, of materials, 99–100
Early Church costumes, 178–179
Eighteenth Century French costumes, 190
Egypt, 1
Egyptian Costumes, 172–173
Egyptian Masks, 148
Electrician, 136
Empress Marie, 9
Emperor Charles V of Spain, 18–26
England, 12, 18
Ephesus, 7
Eskimo masks, 144
Europe, 10–22
_Every Man in his Humor_, Marionette play, 27
Fair of St. Bartholomew, 18
Fantoccini, description of, 9
Fashion puppet, _Lady Jane_, 19
Fagotin, the Trained Monkey, 16–17
Fifteenth Century costume, 185
Florence, 11
Fontaine, Jean de la, 28
Fountain, construction of, 109
France, 12, 15
France, Anatole, 28
French Revolution, puppets beheaded, 17
Germany, 12, 21
Gesso, making of, 108
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, 29–31
Gold, puppets of, 3
Goldoni, Carlo, 28
Greece, 1, 7
Greek costumes, 175–176
Greek masks, 149, 196
Guignol, description of, 52
Hair for Marionettes, 54
Hallowe’en, masks for, 151, 152
Hands, for
Burattini, 53
Marionettes, 71
Hans Wurst, German puppet character, 12
Harlequin, clown, 198
Haydn, Joseph, 21
Heads,
Muslin, 52
dolls’, 53
wooden, 53–54
modelling of, 62, 65, 66
papier-mâché, 67–68
Holland, 12
Homer, 8
Hopi Indians, 23, 146
Horse Marionette, 81
Hungary, 22
Idols, articulated, 2, 144
Iliad, stories from, 8
Imaginative costumes, 169
India, 2, 3
Indian costumes, 170
Indian masks, 145
Inspector of the strings, 136
Italy, 12
Ivory Marionettes, 1
Ivory masks, 144
Japan, 1, 6
Japanese masks, 148
Java, 1
Javanese masks, 148
Jean Pickel Herring, a Dutch puppet, 12
Jerusalem, puppets in, 10
Jongleurs, French Traveling Minstrels, 197
Joseph, Helen Haiman, 23
_Julius Cæsar_, Marionette play, 27
Karagheuz, Turkish puppet hero, 210
Kaspare, German puppet character, 12
Khayyam, Omar, 209
Lantern, Marionette property, 111
Legs and feet for Marionette, 72
Lighting,
chart for, 117
dimmer for, 118
shadow play, 222, 233
Louis XIV, King of France, 27
Mabley, Edward, 23
Maeterlinck, Maurice, 28
Making a mold for Marionette head, 66
Making shadow plays, 212–214
March hare Marionette, 82, 83
Mardi Gras, Festival of, 151
Marionettes, origin of name, 12, 14
Marionettes,
Burattini, or guignol, 52–57
Doll, 58–60
Stocking, 60–62
Real Marionette, 62–83
Masks,
Primitive man, 143
African, 144
Eskimo, 144
Indian, California, 145
Indian, Hopi, 146
Indian, Zuni, 146
Aztec, 146
Brazilian, 146
Chinese, 147–148
Siamese, 148
Burmese, 148
Javanese, 148
Ceylonese, 148
Japanese, 148
Egyptian, 148
Mycenean, 149
Animal, 146–149
Roman, 149
Medieval, 150
Commedia dell’Arte, 151
Materials for properties, 106
for animals, 183
for costumes, 191–193
Mechanism, for Marionettes, 52–83
Medieval masks, 150
Medici, Lorenzo de’, 28
_Men of Iron_, Marionette play, 37–41, 84, 90, 103
Messer Pantaleone, Italian puppet character, 12
_Midsummer Night’s Dream_, Marionette play, 27
Miracle plays, given by Marionettes, 11
Mister Punch, English puppet character, 12
Modeling, puppet heads, 62–65
masks, 162
Mold, for puppet head, 66
Molière, French Dramatist, 68
Monk’s costume, 179
Movable jaw of Marionette, 69
Munich, puppet theater in, 21
Muslin head for Burattini, 52
Mycenean masks, 149
Mystery plays, 12
Nun’s costume, 179
Odyssey, Marionette plays from, 8
Ogotai, Persian Emperor, 5
Ornaments for Costume, 192–193
Osiris, Egyptian god, 2
Painting, Marionette face, hands, 44, 45
Painting masks, 165
Pantalone, Italian puppet character, 198
Pantomime, Art of, 196–202
Papa Schmidt, German puppet maker, 21
Paper-bag mask, 160
Papier-mâché, marionette head, 67, 68
Papier-mâché mask, 194
Paste, flour, 67
Parvati, Indian goddess, 3
Persia, Puppets in, 1, 5
Period costumes, 169
Petrouchka, Ballet of, 125–127
Pilgrim costume, 189
Ping, City of, 4
Plato, 25
Plaster of Paris, How to use, 66
Plays, Japanese, 7
Plays suited, to puppets, 33
to shadow cut-outs, 212
to human shadows, 226, 234
Poland, 22
Polichinello, 12
Powell, Mr., English puppet showman, 19
Presenting a play, 135
Properties for:
Marionette plays, 101–111
Mask, 194–195
Property man, 135
Prompter, 136
Proscenium, 99
Pulcinella, French puppet character, 198
Punch, English puppet character, 20
Reader, shadow play, 223, 231, 232
Rehearsals of:
Marionette play, 118–134
Shadow play, 231, 232
Religious plays, Marionettes in, 10
Shadow plays, 234–236
Research, properties, 102–105
Richard, the Lion-Hearted, 180
Rome, 1, 8
Roman costumes, 179
Roman masks, 149
Rousseau, 28
Russia, 21
Saladin, 27
Sand, George, 27
Sand, Maurice, 27
Sarg, Tony, 23
Savonarola, 11
Scale, Importance of, 58
Scaramuccia, Italian puppet character, 12
Scenery:
Castles in _Men of Iron_, 84
Requirements and planning of, 85–93
Materials for, 92
Color mixing for, 94
Brushes for painting, 96
Scenery, shadow play, 222, 229
Screen, for Human Shadows, 226
Searle, Mr. Mathew, 23
Seventeenth century costume, 188–189
Shadows, 3, 205, 237
Shadow superstitions:
Nyas, 205
Wetar, 206
Ollowa Indians, 206
Malay, 206
India, 206
Africa, 206
S. E. Europe, 206–207
Shadow figures, construction of, 218–221
Shadow figures, manipulation of, 223
Shakespeare, 27
Siam, 3
Siamese masks, 148
Simmonds, Mr. William, 21
Singhalese masks, 148
Siva, Indian God, 3
Sixteenth-century costume, 186–187
Smoke, how to make, 109–110
Socrates, 25
Spain, 18
Stage picture, 130–131
Stages:
Egyptian puppet stage, 2
Wooden stages, 10
Marionette stages, 47–51
Standards for shadow play, 216
Stanislavsky, Constantin, 30, 31
Staples, for Marionette construction, 61
Statues, articulated, 1, 2
Stevenson, Robert Louis, 225
Stocking Marionettes, 60, 61
Strings, 1, 59, 79, 80
Syracuse, 7
Taillefer, 14, 197
Teschner, Richard, 21
_The Indian and the Oki_ as a shadow play, 226–233
Thespis, 149
Thirteenth-century costume, 184
Tombs, Egyptian, 1
Torriani, Giovanni, constructor of wonderful puppets, 18
Training puppeteers:
Choosing puppeteers, 120
Manipulating, 122–127
Voice, 133–134, 223
Stage picture, 130–131
_Traveling Musicians of Bremen_ as a shadow play, 217–220
Trent, Council of, 11
Turkey, 3
Twelfth century costume, 182
Value and Intensity, in relation to scene painting, 95
Venice, 12, 13
Virgil, 149
Voice, how to use it in puppet plays, 133, 134
Voltaire, 27
Wearing costumes, the art of, 193
Wood:
figures, 10
masks, 144
Wooden head for Burattini, 53–54
Yen Sze, Chinese Showman, 4
Zuni Indian Masks, 146
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
● Typos fixed; non-standard spelling and dialect retained.
● Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.