Mrs Stanzel and Sewing

 Mrs Stanzl -  photo by Nigel A. JAMES

Hard Times and Beauty

Of course, finding something decent to wear nowadays isn’t a problem at all, but, after the war, as Mrs Stanzl of Vienna recently told me, things were really quite different.  There were no decent clothes to be had because the shops were all empty.  And so, one had to make them oneself!  But from what?  There was no material either!

The solution was simple. In most people’s houses there were more than enough sheets, towels and blankets.  The sheets were made into the finest of shirts and blouses, the bathroom towels were converted into shorts and long socks, and the blankets were turned into wonderful warm winter coats.  When times are hard, the tree of life bears wonderful fruits!

But, of course, life in those days wasn’t all doom and gloom.  There were parties, there were balls, and, there were weddings, as well, and, all such occasions demanded really nice dress to put on.  And this was the role of the curtains!  And, the nicer the curtains the nicer the dress!  And the finest of silk curtains were saved for the best of the best.  And, so it was, that the curtains, one by one, were taken down and sacrificed, in part, for the sake of pure beauty!

And, while the women looked stunningly great in their gowns made of drapes, Viennese homes took on a brand new expression of  nocturnal excitement!  After the candles had been lit (there still wasn’t much electricity), and the fires had been stoked, the curtains were then drawn to reveal an amazing performance of curtains with holes shaped like dresses!  Women, as everyone knows, only wear a dress once!

But, of course, women in those days were ingeniously clever!  The simple style of their dresses meant more flexibility.  Very often, the front of the garment was from a piece of a living room curtain, whilst the back was from a room somewhere else! And, for even more thrilling variety, the dresses were often worn back-to-front, too!

But, of course, nowadays things are the way that they are, everyone knows this. But, I often wonder, if hard times were to come back again, would everyone be able to sew?  And, would people have the same imagination as they did in those days?  I think so!  Everyone wants to look nice!

The Year of 46 – by Nigel A JAMES

Poem for Summer

 Pencil drawing by Nigel A JAMES

Lochinvar by Sir Walter Scott

O, YOUNG Lochinvar is come out of the west,

Through all the wide Border his steed was the best;

And save his good broadsword he weapons had none,

He rode all unarmed, and he rode all alone.

So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,

There never was a knight like the young Lochinvar.

He stayed not for break, and he stopped not for stone,

He swam the Eske river where ford there was none;

But ere he alighted at Netherby gate,

The bride had consented, the gallant came late:

For a laggard in love, and a dastard in  war,

Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar.

So boldly he entered the Netherby Hall,

Among the bride’s-men, and kinsmen, and brothers, and all:

Then spoke the bride’s father, his hand on his sword,

(For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word)

“O come ye in peace here, or come ye in war,

Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar?”

“I long wooed your daughter, my suit you denied;-

Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide-

And now I am come, with this lost love of mine,

To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine,

There are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far,

That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar.”

The bride kissed the goblet: the knight took it up,

He quaffed off the wine, and he threw down the cup.

She looked down to blush, and she looked up to sigh,

With a smile on her lips, and a tear in her eye.

He took her soft hand, ere her mother could bar,-

“Now tread we a measure!” said the young Lochinvar.

So stately his form and so lovely her face,

That never a hall such a galliard did grace;

While her mother did fret, and the father did fume,

And the bridegroom stood dangling his bonnet and plume;

And the bride-maidens whispered, “Twere better by far,

To have matched our fair cousin with young Lochinvar.”

One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear,

When they reached the hall-door, and the charger stood near;

So light to the croup the fair lady he swung,

So light to the saddle before her he sprung!

“She is won!  we are gone, over bank, bush and scaur;

They’ll have fleet steeds that follow,”  quoth young Lochinvar.

There was mounting  `mong Graemes of the Netherby clan;

Forsters, Fenwicks, and Musgraves, they rode and they ran:

There was racing and chasing on Cannobie lee,

But the lost bride of Netherby ne`er did they see.

So daring in love, and so dauntless in war,

Have ye heard of gallant like young Lochinvar?

Szabolcs Gal - Saying Hello

Szabolcs Gal - photo by Nigel A  JAMES

Occasions to Roar

There are occasions in life when one believes that everyone has one!  And, the Harley Rally in Hungary is one such time when one would be forgiven for being convinced that every Hungarian has a motorbike! There are simply so many bikers involved! And, for one very good reason, biker Szabolcs Gal was very much a part of the fun.

And the very good reason is age, or, in his case, the lack of it!  Szabolcs has been biking since the age of 11! And it all began on the farm tracks that surrounded the house in which he grew up in.  He feels more at home in the saddle than a fish does in water, and, when he first heard of the Harley Rally he couldn’t resist, and, 12 years ago he was the one of the youngest participators. 

But, of course, he has come a long way since his first daring balancing act on the old Russian machine which used to belong to his grandfather.  Szabolcs now has a spanking brand new Harley, and, he’s convinced that it will still be just as good in 11 year’s time when the 25^th rally comes round!   And, his fans?

His biggest fans of all are his two little girls, and, although they love seeing their dad roar away to the rally, they love it much more when he roars home again!  Rallies are occasions that are nice to have done, and, being home once again is the best!

Lochinvar - Pencil drawing by Nigel A  JAMES

Lochinvar by Sir Walter Scott

Verses 2 and 4

So boldly he entered the Netherby Hall,

Among the bride’s-men, and kinsmen, and brothers, and all:

Then spoke the bride’s father, his hand on his sword,

(For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word)

“O come ye in peace here, or come ye in war,

Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar?”

“I long wooed your daughter, my suit you denied;-

Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide-

And now I am come, with this lost love of mine,

To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine,

There are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far,

That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar.”

To be continued

Beate Droppelmann and Rita Schiller

Beate Droppelmann and Rita Schiller

The Joy of Not Having The Missing!

Before a theatre curtain goes up, there is always a certain electric suspense! But, The Kasperlbühne Schillerdrops – The  Schillerdrops Glove Puppet Theater – has turned the magic of waiting into the fun of involvement, for, the joy of it all are the songs which determine the course of the play, and, these are learnt by the kids to sing as part of the action. And so, because of all this,  when the curtain goes up, there’s a feeling of high voltage oneness that carries on till the end of the play!

And involvement is the biggest component of Beate Droppelmann’s and Rita Schiller’s success. The children’s singing is the one thing that sets their productions apart from the rest. Everyone knows the traditional puppet shows which demand nothing other than shouting and screaming and bashing and beating!  But, that’s not all!  Another thing that makes their productions unique are the souls of the puppets.  Every single puppet is lovingly created by Beate and Rita, and, that’s why only these cleverly crafted miniature actors and actresses are able to perform in these very special pieces, which, too, have been entirely created and written by Beate and Rita.

And, although each play has its own individual story, each performance is different! The performances are completely spontaneous.  The puppets, themselves, although sticking to the story,  are always in charge of that which is spoken, and, only the children decide which song is the right one!

But, of course, the biggest thing about this super little theater is the thing that nobody sees!  Children never miss that which is missing, and the thing that’s missing at Kasperlbühne Schillerdrops is the traditional aggressiveness of  Punch and Judy! No kid goes scarily home for their  tea after singing and laughing!  The only message they take is one of great joy and the hope to see it all once again.

Beate Droppelmann and Rita Schiller have a very interesting web-site.  www.kasperlbuehne.at   

And, if you are in Vienna on the 16^th of June of this year, the Kasperlbühne Schillerdrops  is putting on a show, Kasperl und der Entfernte Krokodile, at the Kabelwerk in the 23^rd district.  Start 16.00hrs.  All kids, no matter how old, are welcome.

Nj.

                                                                    Lochinvar - Pencil drawing by Nigel A. JAMES

Lochinvar

by Sir Walter Scott

Verses 1 and 2

O, YOUNG Lochinvar is come out of the west,

Through all the wide Border his steed was the best;

And save his good broadsword he weapons had none,

He rode all unarmed, and he rode all alone.

So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war,

There never was a knight like the young Lochinvar.

He stayed not for break, and he stopped not for stone,

He swam the Eske river where ford there was none;

But ere he alighted at Netherby gate,

The bride had consented, the gallant came late:

For a laggard in love, and a dastard in  war,

Was to wed the fair Ellen of brave Lochinvar.

To be continued.