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Milty's Mag, 1945

Page 2

Milty's Mag
-2-
DRAMA DEPT
     A bit of fantasy entertainment has been on the stage the past few weeks,
and I was fortunate in being able to see it while stationed in Philadelphia.
     "The Tempest" and "Dark of the Moon", which I reviewed for Fantasy Fiction Field, are plays full of witches and conjurs and strangely shaped things. I thought these were pretty fine productions, but never in my life have I seen anything like the Metropolitan Opera's production of "Das Rheingold." You don't notice any limitations of the stage's powers when you see how they do it.
     The curtain goes up on the first act to disclose a green, wriggly under-water scene.    The Rhino-maidens are swimming about at the bottom of the Rhine (just
the time the 1st army was going across the top), and even with opera glasses
I couldn't tell that it was green light and a curtain of gauze producing the illusion of rippling water.  Altho from my angle way up top I could see the stage men pulling the ropes that suspended the Rhine-maidens in mid air - very charmingly, too.
    Well - It wasn't enough for Wagner to bring the curtain down at the end of the scene and change the props. Nope, when Alberich runs off with the gold, smoke and darkness fill the stage and in about one minute it clears up, showing the scone on the bank of the Rhine, where Wotan & Fricka are taking some sack time.
     All I have to say is that there must have been some hustling among the stage hands. Probably they used the same rocks and things for both sets.
     So at the end of this act, smoke and darkness once more fills the stage. Then you see a cross section of the earth rising as you sink down thru the earth like in an elevator to the subterranean Kingdom of the Nibelungen.   So when the gauze curtain stops moving from the slit in the floor to the top of the proscenium, the scene has changed to that of a rocky cavern.
     When the lights go on for this scene, there is an inky black rectangle on the floor of the stage which gradually contracts until it disappears. This phenomenon scare me half to death, and I started crossing myself and saying a few Hail Mary's, until I realized it was the slit closing up. The slit thru which the front curtain had appeared. The curtain which showed the earth moving up.
     Confusing as hell, isn't it?   That's the result of writing something like this on this particular, phenomenal day.    And I'll be damned if I rewrite it, because I have no time, and this must be mailed today.
     Anyway -- you get my general idea that this here opera is a toure de force
of stage art, and Elmer would have enjoyed it. He was always interested in stage business.
STUFF DEPT:
     Which brings us to the phenomenon of Elmer making a name for himself in Los Angeles. I always knew he could do it. I know he could out-character any character in that city. Bravo, Elmer, and drink one for me.
TALLY HO DEPT -- which will be all for this time, kiddies.    Too bad I couldn't have a super issue for the anniversary, but April approached with a rush that startled me. and caught me at the most awkward moment. Remind me I should tell you in the next issue under what circumstances I write this.
     Laney should worry - he has less to stencil this way.    (Twarnt Laney. MD)

AUF WIEDERSCHREIBEN
Milt

Thanks to Myrtle Douglas for stenciling this.  STL

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Milty's Mag -2- DRAMA DEPT A bit of fantasy entertainment has been on the stage the past few weeks, and I was fortunate in being able to see it while stationed in Philadelphia. "The Tempest" and "Dark of the Moon", which I reviewed for Fantasy Fiction Field, are plays full of witches and conjurs and strangely shaped things. I thought these were pretty fine productions, but never in my life have I seen anything like the Metropolitan Opera's production of "Das Rheingold." You don't notice any limitations of the stage's powers when you see how they do it. The curtain goes up on the first act to disclose a green, wriggly under-water scene. The Rhino-maidens are swimming about at the bottom of the Rhine (just the time the 1st army was going across the top), and even with opera glasses I couldn't tell that it was green light and a curtain of gauze producing the illusion of rippling water. Altho from my angle way up top I could see the stage men pulling the ropes that suspended the Rhine-maidens in mid air - very charmingly, too. Well - It wasn't enough for Wagner to bring the curtain down at the end of the scene and change the props. Nope, when Alberich runs off with the gold, smoke and darkness fill the stage and in about one minute it clears up, showing the scone on the bank of the Rhine, where Wotan & Fricka are taking some sack time. All I have to say is that there must have been some hustling among the stage hands. Probably they used the same rocks and things for both sets. So at the end of this act, smoke and darkness once more fills the stage. Then you see a cross section of the earth rising as you sink down thru the earth like in an elevator to the subterranean Kingdom of the Nibelungen. So when the gauze curtain stops moving from the slit in the floor to the top of the proscenium, the scene has changed to that of a rocky cavern. When the lights go on for this scene, there is an inky black rectangle on the floor of the stage which gradually contracts until it disappears. This phenomenon scare me half to death, and I started crossing myself and saying a few Hail Mary's, until I realized it was the slit closing up. The slit thru which the front curtain had appeared. The curtain which showed the earth moving up. Confusing as hell, isn't it? That's the result of writing something like this on this particular, phenomenal day. And I'll be damned if I rewrite it, because I have no time, and this must be mailed today. Anyway -- you get my general idea that this here opera is a toure de force of stage art, and Elmer would have enjoyed it. He was always interested in stage business. STUFF DEPT: Which brings us to the phenomenon of Elmer making a name for himself in Los Angeles. I always knew he could do it. I know he could out-character any character in that city. Bravo, Elmer, and drink one for me. TALLY HO DEPT -- which will be all for this time, kiddies. Too bad I couldn't have a super issue for the anniversary, but April approached with a rush that startled me. and caught me at the most awkward moment. Remind me I should tell you in the next issue under what circumstances I write this. Laney should worry - he has less to stencil this way. (Twarnt Laney. MD) AUF WIEDERSCHREIBEN Milt Thanks to Myrtle Douglas for stenciling this. STL