Toy theater

Paper theaters are miniature theater, as " Cut-out " in Germany and England at about the same from 1810, and later in other European countries under that name or as " Juvenile Drama ", " Dukketeatret ", " Théâtre de papier " or " Teatro de los Ninos " were produced and installed. They can be created as a somewhat more complex picture-frame or " recorded " as a functioning stage.

This Ausschneidebogen were " picture- culture" of the 19th century, in Biedermeier part of. Precursors were the paper cribs and peep with spectacular events and the " almond bow " (personal information sheet to professional groups or the military). As a child of romance it has been lacking in almost any community center.

The term ' paper theater ' was introduced by Walter Röhler. Under this name he includes all names that were gebräulich for this theater in the 19th century, together. Röhler defined ' paper theater ' as follows: " Small Stage of paper, on the mimic model in the form of excessive or test the technical diversity of a people can stage ". " This close connection to the ' great theater ' is and remains typical of this theater genre. "

The structure

Most paper theaters have a " proscenium " ( the solid porch in front of the scene) and a curtain. Their measure is usually in the DIN A4 landscape (but also to less than 1 m) width of the stage. In addition, one or more sets and a character sheet with all the figures needed for the piece are required. The figures were glued individually or in small groups on narrow wooden strips or wires, so that they could be inserted into or removed from the side through the backdrop streets. So is the additional aspect of movement for the viewers. Texts were either spoken or read from memory for text books assigned roles. The stage portals were often reproduced known stages. As a piece of cloth curtain was enough - in the classic version, it was of course a little scraped dark red velvet fabric from mom's chest of clothes.

The included stage sets could be more or less extensively equipped: at least one "stage prospectus " ( the rear boundary ) and one or more lateral backdrop pairs that produce the depth effect of the scenery. If two sets are present at scenes, the theater or the opera was already listed as a two-act with different equipment. In real theater setting used parts that are placed in the center of the room (possibly from the flies off), are often impractical with such a small stage.

These arches were first decades black and white lithographs that were offered either uncolored or hand - colored or even templates. The coloring was often in home or child labor and minimum wage was to be done by the layers of the population, then this arc could not afford, let alone a trip to the theater.

The color lithography was invented until later and only be introduced when the other forms of work no longer rewarded. However, they contributed greatly to the spread of the paper theater. The sheets were cut on cardboard etc. coated (laminated ), glued together and only once admired. Eventually they came up with the idea to record this theater. Thus, the determined in large theater experienced by inferior only little to the (see today the joy came into being with the means of house music, noise donating utensils, such as a filled with peas cardboard tube as a rain machine, pot lids, pipes and thunder sheets and text summaries of drama performances, the Karaoke).

As a first illumination sufficed simple candles or oil lamps. Later, the figures in different costumes and attitudes are included more than once.

Only the ambitious venues worked with a stage area ( stage tower ), which is twice as high as the most visible height of the stage, etc. in order to change decorations quickly.

The repertoire and the demand for education

These pictures sheets were bought and used primarily by the middle classes for the edification, entertainment and education of children. The paper theaters were symbol and identification medium of theater enthusiasm of the citizens, who discovered the opera and the theater, especially in the first half of the 19th century itself.

The repertoire of the theater paper therefore included the Spielpäne of contemporary theater. Operas such as The Magic Flute, Fidelio, Der Freischütz, Zar und Zimmermann, The Huguenots and Oberon were required, which was reflected in the different Figuren-/Kulissenbögen and text books of various publishers.

In the drama were in German-speaking countries, among others, Faust ( As Goethe, or Sage), Egmont (Goethe), Wallenstein's Camp, William Tell (both from Schiller), King of the Alps and the Misanthrope ( Raimund ), Cathy of Heilbronn ( Kleist ) and Shakespeare's Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Othello available.

So Walter Röhler points out that after the success of the Freischütz in Berlin at least 16 companies brought out 25 different character arc to this opera at its premiere in 1821.

Understanding of the technical aspects of a theater stage

The paper theater also promoted the understanding of the technical functions of a stage that could be traced more or less detail in model; For example, stage equipment, main curtain, baroque backdrop stage, angular frame stage and central perspective.

Further historical development

What the blazes not staging, added the imagination of the viewer. They were friends, neighbors and relatives of the players. This was a wintry Sunday afternoon to make very beautiful. Only in the second half of the 19th century. be converted the paper theater for children theater in which increasingly tales were played. After 1918, with the development of radio, television and PC, it came as a mediation tool for education into oblivion.

From the 1970s it was rediscovered by collectors in London, Nuremberg and Copenhagen sporadically in toy stores or antique shops and experienced a renaissance since then as an independent puppet theater form.

The famous German publishing houses in the 19th century were:

• Renner, Nuremberg
• Matthew and Joseph Trentsensky, Vienna, 1819, 1837 by Matthew performed alone, after his death in 1868 by his widow. ( The publisher specializing in lithographs, and in particular the pressure of almond sheet )
• Winckelmann -Verlag, Berlin
• Gustav Kühn and Oehmigke & Riemschneider, still existent, Neuruppin
• Joseph Scholz, 1829, Mainz
• Writer, since 1831, still existent, Esslingen am Neckar

A major manufacturer in England was the publisher Benjamin Pollock.

Paper theaters today

Today, paper theaters are available as Decoupage again. There is a museum in Hanau ( Philippsruhe Castle ) with regular paper theater performances, an association which looks after the interests of the paper theaters and publishes a magazine titled PAPER THEATER.

Common size categories:

There is an international board annual festival ( Preetzer Paper Theatre Meeting ) in Preetz, Schleswig -Holstein. Similarly, there are in Kitzingen since 2003 under one roof two independent paper theaters Otherworld and The Blue Veil. In Berlin, since 2011, the paper Theater-an -der- Oppermann.