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.
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.
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.
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.
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.