Amateur Dramatics

[Stu]

Interesting little story with a gender aspect I heard while waiting for a blood test result. I had a lengthy chat in the hospital outpatients' waiting room with a woman I had vaguely known some years ago and hadn't seen for a a very long time. She had been a close friend of my sister when they both into amateur dramatics and were custodians of a tiny theatre in a small town about 15 miles from me. I asked her if she was still into acting, but she said health issues made that impossible. Something she did mention spiked my interest a bit, though, and that was that diminishing numbers of people willing to participate has meant that the would-be thespians have to play whatever roles are available, sometimes regardless of age or gender. They also had to make use of children of members who would be willing to participate in productions. Five years or so ago, they started preparing to produce The Sound of Music, but had a problem finding a 7-year-old girl with a suitable singing voice to play the role of Marta. There was a boy with very long blond hair and a sweet singing voice, but he was the wrong gender. The compromise for that was to make Marta into a boy called Martin; not ideal, but needs must, she said. They started rehearsing and it was going brilliantly. He would obviously steal the show - until - he was told he would have to have his hair cut short. He couldn't play an Austrian boy in the 1930s with long locks half way down his back. He wasn't having any of it; he loved his long hair and was going to keep them. After some arguments, he agreed he would sing the role as the original character, Marta, and his parents were fine with that. It's only acting after all. The seamstress for the group even started making him something called a "drindel" ("drindle"?) which is what girls wore in that era, apparently. He was set to perform when the pandemic struck, lockdowns and so forth and everything was cancelled. Nevertheless, by the sound of it, he was a brave little fellow willing to do that.

I asked if the dramatics group had re-started since Covid. She said someone called Len had tried to get it going again, but couldn't generate enough interest. The theatre is now rented out for storage and unlikely to be used ever again for performances.

[Uncle Al]

Loved the story
Glad you were able to re-connect
Sad about the current status of the theatre

Uncle Al

[STEVIE]

After some arguments, he agreed he would sing the role as the original character, Marta, and his parents were fine with that. It's only acting after all. The seamstress for the group even started making him something called a "drindel" ("drindle"?) which is what girls wore in that era, apparently. He was set to perform when the pandemic struck, lockdowns and so forth and everything was cancelled. Nevertheless, by the sound of it, he was a brave little fellow willing to do that.

All the world's a stage, to quote our most famous playwright.
In his day, all roles were played by males and boys/young men played the female parts.
David Mitchell has a wonderful parody on this in his BBC comedy. "Upstart Crow".
Your example simply serves to underline the absurdity of attitudes towards gender based roles and clothing, even haircuts.
Not only brave, but a wise child too from whom adults could learn.
Steve.

[moonshadow]

It's only acting after all.

Ahh yes.

And if I may don my philosopher's hat for a moment...

Isn't it all just an act anyway?

How many people can honestly say they are being their own authentic selves one hundred percent of the time?

[geron]

The seamstress for the group even started making him something called a "drindel" ("drindle"?) which is what girls wore in that era, apparently.

And in the present era too, at least in the mountain villages.
It's a Dirndl, traditional costume for the fair sex in Austria. But you can see versions of it all across central Europe. In southern Germany there's the Trachtenkleid (traditional dress). Looks enchanting on a pretty woman

[STEVIE]

And in the present era too, at least in the mountain villages.
It's a Dirndl, traditional costume for the fair sex in Austria. But you can see versions of it all across central Europe. In southern Germany there's the Trachtenkleid (traditional dress). Looks enchanting on a pretty woman

Just one question about the present era.
Enchanting on a pretty Fraulein but what of the non-traditional Mannlich?
Steve.

[Susie]

Enchanting on a pretty Fraulein but what of the non-traditional Mannlich?

Please don't - there is a line

[STEVIE]

Please don't - there is a line

Not for this non-conformist, my Oktoberfest days are well gone.
Lederhosen?

[Stu]

Just to reiterate - this is about acting. Drama! In the UK, we had (and still have) boys' schools and when they put on a theatrical production, they used boys to play female roles. In a way, though, this story highlights how society has become fearful of gender switching, but only really when or relates to boys playing girls. If a girl played Tom Sawyer or Oliver Twist, nobody would be the slightest bit concerned, but it is unthinkable to have a boy playing Dorothy from Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland. While this has nothing to do with men (or boys) having the option to wear skirts, I do find it socially insightful.

Thanks for correcting me about the word "dirndl". I had to look it up and a picture made it clear what we were discussing and it's definitely NOT for boys.

[Modoc]

Isn't it all just an act anyway?

How many people can honestly say they are being their own authentic selves one hundred percent of the time?

Makes me wonder how many people even know what that self is.

[crfriend]

How many people can honestly say they are being their own authentic selves one hundred percent of the time?

Makes me wonder how many people even know what that self is.

Likely more than you'd initially imagine. They'll be the quiet ones around you that you never really notice unless something starts a conversation. They very seldom cause problems and generally don't attract attention to themselves because they don't need it.

Thus, do not despair. They're out there, and they're more numerous than you likely think. You just have to search for them because they're not screaming for attention.

[TSH]

It's actually is quite a shame really. A boy was willing to play the role of a girl, everyone accepted it, and then "The Virus" happened. Wasted opportunity for everyone involved, because this type of acceptance is rare.

[Kirbstone]

Way back in the '50s I was sent to a boys' boarding school at age 13 and in their stage productions all parts were played by boys. As a boy soprano with a reasonable voice I played two leading lady roles in two consecutive years after which my voice broke and that put an end to that for me. The roles were 'Elsie' in G&S. The Yeoman of the Guard and the 'Bohemian Girl' in the operetta of that name.
At ages 13 & 14 one can imagine my performances were wooden as I really didn't have a real clue to what was going on at that stage.

Much later on in my 20s-30s I joined an Am-Dram. Soc. in the Hampshire village where I worked. Apart from all-male roles I did do a Marlena Dietrich/Lili Marlene impression as part of a 20's-30's-40's show. That was a hoot and involved me shaving my legs!!

Tom

[Uncle Al]

Apart from all-male roles I did do a Marlena Dietrich/Lili Marlene impression as part of a 20's-30's-40's show.

Great Song Lili Marlene (English Version) Marlene Dietrich.mpg
Original German version Marlene Dietrich - Lili Marleen

I played a part of this song last Tuesday, before my lodge meeting started. The old analog
Wurlitzer 950 still does a good job ( ), even thought the Orbit-Synthesizer is no longer working

Uncle Al

[Kirbstone]

That was my first public crossdressing eposure since my school days as a boy soprano. I was in my early 30s and very fit/slim, so they found a floor-length glitter gown size 16 (UK)and a blonde short wig. The gown had an off-center front slit all the way up, so I was required to shave my legs and wear sheer tights. The stage was black except for a single overhead illumination near the dimmed footlights. Just a piano accompaniment and I was instructed to use a cigarette in a long holder as a prop. A lot of fun and the song went down very well. As it was a '40s number it happened after the interval and enough of the audience had imbibed, so wolf whistles &c were frequent.

Tom