BALLAD OF BATTLE

 

«Father, I honor thee;

Not for earth’s hoards or honors we here are contending;

All that is holy our swords are defending:

Then falling, and conquering, I honor thee.

God, I repose in thee.

 

God, I repose in thee;

When the thunders of death my soul are greeting,

When the gashed veins bleed, and life is fleeting,

In thee, my God, I repose in thee.

Father, I call on thee.»

 

 

 

 

Scene no 76: German soldiers (KOBER SPIELWAREN semi-flat zinnfiguren, Bavarian army Nr.2767 Infanterie im Gefecht, made in Austria) taking positions on a battlefield (LOTT’S BRICKS, solid stone building bricks and trees – British made).  

The lyrics: From the poem “Prayer During Battle” by Korner.

ΤΙΝΤΙΝ ΤΗΕΑΤRΕ

 

«The child will be gripped by the excitement of Tintin, the comedy, even farce.

The adult will additionally find political satire and parody, puns and prescience.»

 

 

 

 

 

Scene no 75: Bianca Castafiore (Hard plastic figurine) sings in the center of the stage, while well-known supporting actors of the troupe dance around her: Rascar Capac, Alcazar, Fakir, Foudre Benie and professor Philippulus (Figurines Tintin Collection). Tintin himself and Captain Haddock are watching the performance from their private balcony (Tintin Theatre and Finger Puppets).

(All pieces are HERGE/MOULINSART editions).

The text: Βy Michael Farr (from the introduction to the book TINTIN The Complete Companion).       

RETURN TO LAUNCHING RAMP

 

«No one gets out of childhood alive.

Like the gravitic pull of the moon on the tides of Earth, we never escape what was done to us, what we did, what we learned, what we didn’t learn, where we went, and what we ate when we were children.»

 

 

 

 

Scene no 74: Space rockets (Battery operated, KY Yoshino toys Apollo 15 and TN Nomura toys Solar X7) ready to intercept flying saucers in our solar system (Saucers Club, wooden bagatelle pinball with striking space graphics).

The text: Βy Harlan Ellison (from the introduction to the book BLAST OFF!).       

THE LAST TRUE KING

«Roi, le seul vrai roi de ce siècle, salut, Sire,

Qui voulûtes mourir vengeant votre raison

Des choses de la politique, et du délire

De cette Science intruse dans la maison,

 

De cette Science assassin de l’Oraison

Et du Chant et de l’Art et de toute la Lyre,

Et simplement et plein d’orgueil en floraison

Tuâtes en mourant, salut, Roi, bravo, Sire !

 

Vous fûtes un poète, un soldat, le seul Roi

De ce siècle où les rois se font si peu de chose,

Et le martyr de la Raison selon la Foi.

 

Salut à votre très unique apothéose,

Et que votre âme ait son fier cortège, or et fer,

Sur un air magnifique et joyeux de Wagner.»

 

 

 

 

Scene no 73: King Ludwig II (Preiser figure 29018) in front of the scenery of a forgotten dream world.

Castle ruin (Noch 58602 scale HO), trains of the era (Marklin HO 41071 and 94099, homage to Ludwig, special edition train carriages), the Swan (Lineol composition animals), Neuschwanstein (Phil Goods plastic castle for cookies).

The poem: «To Ludwig II of Bavaria», by Paul Verlaine.       

ON THE PATH OF DESTINY

«The road goes ever on and on down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone, 

and I must follow, if I can, 

pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins some larger way 

where many paths and errands meet.»

 

 

 

 

Scene no 72: The nine walkers - Gandalf, Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee, Merry Brandybuck, Pippin Took, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn and Boromir (Play Along toys, The Lord of the Rings, Armies of Middle-Earth, The Fellowship Collection) - follow the path. In the background the Misty Mountains (Original Busch model).

The text: From «The Fellowship of the Ring», by J.R.R. Tolkien.

HANSEL AND GRETEL

«She was a wicked witch who was lying in wait there for children. 

She had built her house of bread only in order to lure them to her, and if she captured one, she would kill him, cook him, and eat him; and for her that was a day to celebrate.»

 

 

 

Scene no 71: Hansel and Gretel meet the wicked Witch and her black cat (Elastolin plastic figures) in front of the entrance of the house of bread and sweets and candies (Unknown manufacturer). Next to the cat, the raven is lurking... (Elastolin composition figure).

In the second version, Hansel and Gretel (McFarlane’s Monsters Series 4, Twisted Fairy Tales Action Figures) growing up in captivity...

The text: From «Hansel and Gretel», by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

LEGION ETRANGERE

«Enthusiastic foreign volunteers are good for national morale, but in practical terms they can be a nuisance. Few of these idealists had a military background; their enthusiasm was generous but their expectations unrealistic. To educated political liberals the brutal realities of old-fashioned military life came as a shock.»

 

 

 

 

Scene no 70: The Legionnaires (Britains deetail, metal based models, 7780 Foreign Legion Infantry figures in all 6 poses and 7770 Gatling gun & crew) in battle positions under the palm trees (CollectA  toy models, coconut palm).

The text: From «French Foreign Legion 1914-1945», by Martin Windrow.