Figure 1.--"Hansel and Gretel" is a popular staple of the Halloween season. This production of "Hansel and Gretel" was done by a local children's theater group. The children are appropriately costumed in German folk costume. |
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A popular play for the children during the Halloween season is Hansel and Gretel. Spooky stories are popular with children year round, but of course they have particular appeal around Halloween. One of the scariest such tales from the classic fairy tales is of course The Grimm brothers tale, Hansel and Gretel. The story of course is based on the dilemma of a poor woodsman. The woodman found himself unable to feed his family. "What is to become of us?" he moans to his wife. His wife suggests that they must be left in forest or they all will starve. The woodcutter objects, but finally relents. Left alone in the forst the children find a gingerbread house and a wicked, but poor-sighted witch who decides to fatten Hansel up for the stew pot. The story may have been set appropriately in the Black Forest (Schwartzwald) in Germany, ergo Hansel's lederhosen. The Brothers' home was not too far this region. Still thickly wooded and laced with winding roads, it's easy to see how scary stories were conceived by the folk in such regions. The children are normally costumed in German folk costumes. Gretel wears a drindle and puffed sleeve blouse. "Hansel" normally wears short pants lederhosen with a halter and kneesocks.
A popular play for the children during the Halloween season is Hansel and Gretel. Spooky stories are popular with children year round, but of course they have particular appeal around Halloween.
One of the scariest such tales from the classic fairy tales is of course The Grimm brothers tale, Hansel and Gretel. The story of course is based on the dilemma of a poor woodsman. The woodman found himself unable to feed his family. "What is to become of us?" he moans to his wife. His wife suggests that they must be left in forest or they all will starve. The woodcutter objects, but finally relents. Left alone in the forst the children find a gingerbread house and a wicked, but poor-sighted witch who decides to fatten Hansel up for the stew pot.
The story may have been set appropriately in the Black Forest (Schwartzwald) in Germany, ergo Hansel's lederhosen. The Brothers' home was not too far this region. Still thickly wooded and laced with winding roads, it's easy to see how scary stories were conceived by the folk in such regions. The children are normally costumed in German folk costumes. Gretel wears a drindle and puffed sleeve blouse. Braided pig tails are lso common."Hansel" normally wears short pants lederhosen with a halter and kneesocks.
We have found images of several productions of "Hansel and Gretel". We have little or no information about them. Here we see what looks to be a children's production (figure) 1. We have found another unidentified production, but again know nothing about it.
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