Monday, May 23, 2016

If you're British and loyal....



....you might try some Royal Marine. 

Sweeney Todd is probably the most Brechtian of Stephen Sondheim's work. The story of a wronged man descending into madness and wrecking a terrible revenge on his persecutors, society as a whole and frankly any poor soul that happens to get in his way. The story is good, the music is enchanting and the ideas are interesting. 

I much prefer Sondheim to Brecht as he is funnier and cleverer. Brecht's ideas of alienation and distancing are not without merit, but to be honest, I think Sondheim is rather more successful in getting his ideas across to a wider audience. "Pacific Overtures" is a particular favourite and probably one of the best meditations on the differences between cultures that I have ever come across.  I forget a Brecht play half an hour after it's finished*, but can remember Sondheim shows that I saw once ten years ago.  

Funny old thing memory. 

But with that rather tenuous connection to Royal Marines out of the way, let me present some poorly lit shots of what I'm working on the moment. 



I finished my exams on Friday and while they were not an unalloyed success, I am very, very pleased to see the back on them.  I'm happy that I passed five of them, the sixth chap might be a little close. Fingers crossed. 

The day after, Mrs. Kinch tootled out to work, while I sat on the couch and contemplated my hangover. I also did some work on these fellows, touching up the white crossbelts and because wasting time is fun, I painted the individual panels on their sun helmets. 






This was probably surplus to requirements because the helmets were already white and had benefited from a light grey wash to bring out the detail. More to the point, they should have been a light brown as they were stained with tea, but I like a nice bright white pith helmet and carried on regardless. 

I've done nineteen of these chaps, rather more than I need for Egypt, but I thought that since I was painting them anyway, I might as well do enough for a full platoon of troops in The Sword and the Flame.  Irritatingly, I seem to have lost one along the way, so I shall have to dig out another. 


*I am actually struggling to remember the details of Mother Courage right now and failing miserably.



13 comments:

  1. Excellent progress on churning your way through your exams! Do you get a little time off now to relax, paint, and game?

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    1. A little, but back to the daily grind tomorrow.

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  2. Martial looking fellows there, Conrad. That s a particularly attractive shade of blue by the way. What brand of paint is it? Citadel? Vallejo? Something else? I'll keep my fingers and tows crossed on that 6th exam.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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    1. That is Vallejo Night Blue and I am very taken with it. It's a little lighter than prussian blue, but I think I'll be substituting it at smaller scales.

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  3. Rather nice figures there - by whom ? , Tony

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    1. HAT plastics - their Zulu War British infantry are very versatile.

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  4. Well done, we'll just hope for the best on the the 6th.

    It is hard to resiste the urge to make such details pop isn't it?

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  5. I like your royal marines , they've come out well. I agree that Sondheim is excellent but I do like Brecht, mother courage, never ending war (30 years war 1618/1648 )and it's dehumanising effect on the central character and everyone else, good play I saw it with Judy Dench as the central character, apt for a wargame blog!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thank you Iain. I rather like Judy Dench, though I'm not sure even she could con me into liking Brecht.

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  6. I must say that was a rather splendid segue out of left field. Didn't see that coming. I agree, I am a Sondheim man through and through. Mother Courage, something about a Mother, who is very courageous and enduring, pulling a cart, kid gets shot, all very tragic, she keeps going, all very courageously, bit of an allegory, etc.
    The Marines look very splendid. Well done on your exams.
    How exactly did you cause your hangover? Was it whiskey? I hope it was a decent and well deserved single malt.

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    1. Sadly, Micheal I can continue a lifetimes habit of disappointing my elders by confessing that I was busy getting wankered on cheap gin.

      Mrs. Kinch thoroughly approves of your taste in musical theatre.

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  7. Dear Conrad, I had intended to congratulate you on the lovely marines and on the completion of your exams. Unfortunately the interweb tried to insist I that I form some form of meaningful relationship with someone by the name of Blogger. I can then only echo the views of your extremely distinguished contributors, each of them responsible for some of the best toy soldier blogs available. Blimey you keep exalted company. Thanks

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