"I'd kill to see his workshop...!"

Amazing...Astounding...Inspiring...Magical...


Just a few of the words that spring to the mind of anyone that discovers Tim Haugen's world.

To see more of Tim's creations, be sure to check here.

An Offer One Can't Refuse...

Out of the blue, someone contacted me (recently) with this proposal...

I came across your blog from a link on the Pollack's model theater page. My father has been making scenes and figures for his model theater for the last 60 years. He has over 1500 figures, mostly Shakespearean or Shavian, some Marlowe. There are nearly 50 scenes from every Shakespeare play and a large wooden model theater, with a spinning scene area. Unfortunately I never shared his interest in this hobby and I do not really have the room to keep all of this as they have come to live with us now in their twilight years. The question I have is do you know of any person or group that would be interested in buying all or any of this?

...I think I can safely answer in the affirmative. It isn't often that a collection comes out of hiding, so to speak, but it definitely sounds intriguing! If any of you would be interested, let me know and I can put you in touch with the individual.

Tags: toy theatre, toy theater

Dr. Who takes the stage

A member of the toy theatre group shared with us that the BBC has created a Dr. Who toy theatre, complete with fun instructions on how to create the theatre with a cardboard box, some braid, a paper towel tube, and a gold paper doilie.

What fun!

End Title Magic

I come across the influence of toy theatre and puppetry everywhere, even in the most modern of computer animations. Below are four images, each representing a segment of the end titles of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Directed by James Caliri, featuring (among others) the work of lead animator Todd Hemker, it puts you under their spell as soon as the first notes of the score begin...

Click on each image, to watch the video of each segment...

Commission Toy Theatre Update #4

Just in from Ann...

Speaking of woodworking, we have been spending time on your theatre. It took George three tries, but we now have a satisfactory (i.e perfect, square, etc.) grooved floor out of solid wood. (Which can be turned over and used as a flat floor.) And new split floor pieces, and new sides and stabilizers and taller uprights. All in the interests of a "satisfactory" result, with your final modifications - the grooved floor, the grain of wheat footlight holes and the roller curtain. Basically, I have to screw everything together and shellac. Again. And build the box from sturdy cardboard.

We opted to use power tools to get everything just right this time. (I'll try almost anything.) So George, the husband, lent a hand, and we used the equipment over at the college. It was neat to learn how to use a lathe to drill the holes for the crank and screw on the roller curtain dowel dead on square. And watch how to set a great big table saw to get the saw cuts at the front of the sides on the right angle for the bent orchetra front. The orchestra and proscenium fronts did not have to be remade or adjusted at all. Which was the toughest part, to begin with.

Ann asked how I was coming along with the Sweeney, and I responded...

It's slow going on coloring the Sweeney. I have so limited time, and I must admit, I am a bit nervous never having done this before! The paper they had to use at the printer is alas not watercolor but it is very sturdy AND took the ink very well and brilliantly clear on the enlarged (130%) copies of the original sheets. I am using Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, and Prismacolor Premier watercolor pencils which you can use wet with a brush to create interesting effects (which I'll be learning how to do on the fly!)

Sweeney, Reinterpreted

I am blessed to know one of the most creative and talented persons around. Her name is Vanesa, and her team of artists are helping me develop a slightly more warped and sinister SWEENEY TODD character set.

While I like Stephen Langdale's SWEENEY, I wanted to use it as a study guide rather than to perform with it. Using it as such, my friend had her associates do up some preliminary sketches of character sheets, examples of which you see here.

I particularly like Sweeney sans wig - this is not going to be for the faint of heart (I gleefully say in my head!)

Baby Steps

[Stephen Langdale's Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber]

I humbly offer evidence of my first attempts at coloring toy theatre sheet...

I would love to have made my copies onto watercolor paper, but the print shops around me don't have any large enough for the theatre I'm going to be using this for. The best they could offer was a heavy paper like card stock, recommended because it would make a good strong print. I'm using high quality pastels to color it with, and the color so far looks very nice. I also obtained some gold leaf which I might use a bit of around the proscenium eventually...

NEW Toy Theatre Film

I discovered a site today documenting a toy theatre film project called "Dante's Inferno" - but it may not be what you think! Nonetheless, it definitely is intriguing, especially considering recent discussion about capturing toy theatre on film...

To read how they did it, go here.

Whimsical Public Art

During a long weekend getaway this past weekend, I saw these fun sculptures in downtown Minneapolis. They were created by an amazing artist named Tom Otterness who does most of his work for public exhibition. Tom's themes are cartoonish, whimsical, and sometimes dark and subversive - I love it!

Langdale SWEENEY TODD

Just got the Stephen Langdale SWEENEY TODD toy theatre play in the mail today. Lucky me got the character and scene sheets, also! Being the neophyte I am, it will take me time to read and absorb it all, let alone mount, color, cut, etc. all the characters and scenes! It will be a lot of fun, but a very slow process for me as I work full-time and have other free-time commitments. But fear not, dear readers, I will keep you posted...

Czech Marionette Makers

The puppet makers of the Prague Marionette guild are truly amazing artists. Check out this amazing video showing master carver Lenka Pavlickova as she brings one of them to life...

Penny Dreadfuls Influence?

I have often wondered whether the penny dreadful had any influence on the early toy theatre, as did the legitimate theatre?

International Festival of Animated Objects

Something to look forward to...

Commission Toy Theatre Update #3

Ann Neff emailed me the other day saying she's back to work on the toy theatre for me (yayyyy!) and that got me thinking about the 'next stage' to all this - the first play I want to do in my first ever toy theatre!

I decided to solicit for interest to artists I know and appreciate, if they might be interested in taking on a small commission from me in that regard...

While I can buy such things as the scenery and actors on what are called sheets, pre-fab, either originals or reprints, but I'm more interested in a particular play that I cannot find as being adapted for the toy theatre before (I may be wrong here but I don't think so...)

I'm asking my artist friends if they would be intersted in creating the characters (actors), and background scenery for a toy theatre adaption of SWEENEY TODD.

My interest in SWEENEY TODD is a personal one in that I tend to go for the macabre, and find the story themes in the play fascinating. I'm conducting research on it right now, boning up on the supposed core true story behind the now mythologized versions we know, trying to get a handle on how it might be told in a simpler yet compelling way for the toy theatre stage. If anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears!

Starting Today...

Today starts the International Meeting of Paper Theatre, in France. It sounds like an amazing weekend coming up. Lawrence Webb will be there, as well as Peter Baldwin (Pollocks Toy Shop)...

Pollocks @ French Toy Theatre Festival

Louise from Pollock's Toy Shop sent along some additional photos of their exhibits at the Spring Decorative Arts & Textiles Fair they participated in recently. She went on to say...

It was a large space to fill for a subject that usually likes a more domestic setting but it was well received by the organisers of the fair and its visitors. It documented the history with framed pictures and prints of Benjamin Pollock and his work as well that of his contemporaries and the Victorian Toy theatre up to the present day with its revival (from the 1940s by Keen, Fawdry and Baldwin).

Among the theatres on show was a restored Skelt theatre which appe ars on the cover of George Speaights book. The display was peppered with to scale Pollocks 'furniture' taken from original scenes and complementing the furniture fair nicely.

The collection of framed tinsel portraits was up for sale and all that remained unsold will be taken by Peter [Baldwin] to Mourmelon in France for the auction (11th - 14th May)

Royal De Luxe Hits London!

The Royal De Luxe troupe are at it again...in London!

Is it a robot? A Computer? A Puppet? It's all of those things. Myself, I rather like thinking of it in old terms, as an automaton - a very complex automaton, but one nonetheless.

The BBC says the elephant sleeps, eats, sprays water on crowds, and trumpets...

Wouldn't the Victorians have loved this!

Covent Garden Theatre Museum: Closing?

"Britain’s only national museum for the performing arts, Covent Garden’s Theatre Museum..." may close unless a way is found to finance it.

Save London Theatres Campaign, long at the forefront of theatre preservation, makes some very good points at why the Theatre Museum at Covent Garden should be preserved.

On the other hand, this thoughtful study shows that resources are being attempted to be put to best use, and that the online Theatre Project is meeting a great need at an economical cost. Meanwhile, the most important thing is that the collections are safe, and will be seen, albeit at different times and at different venues...

Times are definitely changing...

Pinocchio

If you want to see some amazing illustrations, of a timeless story, be sure and check out Illuminated Books' Pinocchio.

I discovered Illuminated Books thanks to another amazing site, Bibliodyssey...

Spring Fair Features Toy Theatre

Louise Heard from Pollocks Toy Shop checked in today with a late - but in time, which is what counts! - announcement of a toy theatre exhibition and sale going on right now through this weekend at the Spring Decorative Arts & Textiles Fair...

It's a comprehensive exhibit with original scenery, model theatres and related history as well as theatrical portraits, tinsels some of which are for sale.

The show is on today until Sunday. We are also selling some theatres, cards and some original plays and portraits. Peter Baldwin will be there on Saturday and can sign copies of his book (selling at a special Fair price...)

Great news for lucky toy theatre enthusiasts in the UK!