Drosselmeyer's eyepatch

[Treefrog]

My husband, who plays Drosselmeyer in our ballet school's Nutcracker, despises wearing the eyepatch. He wants to know 1) do all Drosselmeyers wear eyepatches, 2) what does the eyepatch signify, and 3) when and where did this portrayal originate?

[mohnurka]

I'm sorry that I can't contribute much to this question, but I do have to say that personally, I don't really like the eye patch either.

I have seen some performances where Drosselmeyer doesn't wear the eyepatch. For example, in the Kirov Nutcracker, with Lezhnina and Baranov, recorded in 1993 or 1994, Drosselmeyer doesn't wear it. If I remember correctly, neither does the Drosselmeyer in the Maksimova and Vasiliev performance in 1978.

[Mel Johnson]

The eyepatch may go back to the Hoffman original which describes Nathaniel Drosselmeyer (didn't know he had a first name, did you) as being changed into a monster with a huge jaw and teeth, a big head and a squinty eye. Me, I cheat when I wear an eyepatch. I make the thing out of a double thickness of illusion. I can see through it, but when the lights are on, the audience can't see my eye.

[Treefrog]

What is illusion?

By the way, my husband reports that he doesn't "despise" it; quite the contrary, he thinks it's kind of cool!

[Mel Johnson]

Illusion is a very sheer open-weave fabric, often used in bridal veils.

[sandik]

Me, I cheat when I wear an eyepatch.  I make the thing out of a double thickness of illusion.  I can see through it, but when the lights are on, the audience can't see my eye.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah, the secrets of magic revealed!

[aspirant]

The Dross. that we have is a fan of switching the eyepatch from eye to eye every other scene just to keep the audience on their toes. Thus far the AD hasn't yet noticed (after 4 years of flip flopping)

[Mel Johnson]

Sounds like a scene out of Young Frankenstein:

EYEGORE: Hump? What hump?

[MJ]

Mel, you caould also put black makeup around the eye to help hide you are using a sheer eyepatch.

Mike

[Mel Johnson]

Sure, or I could even paint it on, à la Groucho Marx's mustache, but then I'd always have to be thinking, "Keep eye closed! Keep eye closed!"

[Mme. Hermine]

That's FRAHNKENSTEEN!!!

(Ducks and apologizes for being so OT)

Sounds like a scene out of Young Frankenstein:

EYEGORE:  Hump?  What hump?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Mel Johnson]

Aw, wotthehey, it's Christmastime, so we can have a brief giddy here and there, like the snowflakes at NYCB who danced in mittens and earmuffs. The management drew the line at galoshes, however.

[Mme. Hermine]

Sank you, Doctor!!!