THE PLAY BOX

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 17 (Supplement)

THE PLAY BOX

To-da.v we publish some hints for the manufacture of stage properties that will prove very useful to the amateur carpenter. The first of these .deals with a homely scene, such as a parlour or kitchen, where, besides tables and" chans, the main pioce of furniture is the dresser. Ihis can be built from a table and a small bookcase. Stand the bookcase on the table and arrange the plates along the shelves. To keep these in place strips of s.trawboard fastened to the shelf with drawing pins will make excellent grooves. Forms aiul benches covered with brown paper can be transformed to the most mysterious old chests, to medieval chairs, to thrones or to garden seats. A simple but most effective throne can be made from a packing case. Cover the case with gold paper, or if this is not available, brown paper splashed with gold paint. The effect of panelling is given by strips of cardboard covered with gold paper pinned down the case

with rows of brass-lieaded drawing pins. For further realism paint a shield in each panel. With a piece of brocade or painted hessian hung on the wall behind the throne is then complete. If stairs are wanted on the stage, .a step-ladder disguised with paper or hessian will serve the purpose. Piles of boxes arranged in step formation and also covered give the same effect. A small step-ladder is useful in a variety of ways behind the scenes, especially in supporting some property on stage. Old window frames, posts and brackets all prove useful, and should be kept in the property box. Cardboard models of toadstools and other natural objects are very easy to make, and can be fastened to the ground with drawing pins. As has been explained before in these columns, curtains are the best backgrounds, but if it is necessary for yoii to have a scene, paint it without much detail on canvas or very stiff thick paper.