Category Archives: Plays

A House Full of Ginger

Posted on November 30, 2018 by

Gingerbread houses are a well-known Christmas tradition, not that I’ve ever seen anyone actually make one. They’re a pretty cool idea, though. The idea of objects made of foodstuffs is an old one in legends throughout the world, especially when … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising, Authors, Characters, Christmas, England, Fairy Tales, Food, Germany, History, Holidays, Jasper Fforde, L. Frank Baum, Magic, Nursery Crime, Oz, Oz Authors, Plays, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Koopas Behind the Curtain

Posted on November 22, 2018 by

This article I read this week discusses the idea of Mario and company being essentially actors in different scenarios, as per a comment from Shigeru Miyamoto comparing them to the cast of Popeye cartoons. It obviously addresses Super Mario Bros. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cartoons, Comics, Conspiracy Theories, Dreams, Mario, Muppets, Plays, Popeye, Relationships, Video Games | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Art of the Infernal Deal

Posted on November 4, 2018 by

I can’t say I totally buy the trope of deals with the Devil. If you actually believe in Satan, you presumably also believe in all the Heaven and Hell stuff, and is there any case where being tortured eternally is … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Focus on the Foes, Fundamentalism, History, Jack Chick, Magic, Mythology, Plays, Politics, Religion, Urban Legends | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Gnomic Utterances

Posted on May 5, 2018 by

I recently read Ruth Berman’s Dunkiton Pamphlet on Gnome Matters, including a history of gnomes, touching on their use in the Oz books. I’ve written about this topic before, like how the name might well have originated with Paracelsus, who … Continue reading →

Posted in Chris Dulabone, Eric Shanower, Fairy Tales, German, Gina Wickwar, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Melody Grandy, Mythology, Oz, Oz Authors, Phil Lewin, Plays, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

OzCon in a Nutshell, or Perhaps a Peach Pit

Posted on July 4, 2017 by

I’m back from OzCon International 2017 (sometimes still called the Winkie Convention) in Portland, Oregon. The main theme was The Lost Princess of Oz, and the location because Ozma was Ore-gone. No, I’m actually not sure why that location was … Continue reading →

Posted in Cartoons, Characters, Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Eric Shanower, Humor, Jared Davis, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Magic Items, Oz, Oz Authors, Plays, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Odd Quartet

Posted on January 29, 2017 by

Hail, Caesar! – I’m actually not sure what the point of this movie was supposed to be. It’s basically a collection of semi-related vignettes about a Hollywood studio, all of which are resolved pretty quickly. Is there a message other … Continue reading →

Posted in Fairy Tales, Humor, Plays, Television, The Simpsons, VoVat Goes to the Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Art with Brains and Courage

Posted on November 30, 2016 by

After my post on books in Oz, Paul Dana suggested that I write one about the performing arts in that fairyland. It’s a good idea, but they aren’t really covered all that much in the books. I’ve looked previously at … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Dennis Anfuso, Dick Martin, Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Eric Shanower, Gina Wickwar, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Live Shows, March Laumer, Music, Oz, Oz Authors, Places, Plays, Ruth Plumly Thompson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment