The online New York Times reports this afternoon
the death of a production designer on January 9th —
"In addition to the two Oscars Mr. Marsh won
(which he shared with others), he was nominated
for two more: for 'Scrooge' (1970), with Albert Finney and
Alex [sic ] Guinness, and 'Mary, Queen of Scots' (1971),
with Vanessa Redgrave and Glenda Jackson."
"… The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart,
illustrated by Shirley Hughes, published Brockhampton 1971.
The story is about Mary, staying at Great-Aunt Charlotte's house,
bored until she meets the black cat Tib and finds the purple flower
fly-by-night that makes the little broomstick fly. In chapter 10
'gay go up and gay go down' Mary hides in Endor College,
the witch school, after hours and finds Tib transformed into a frog
(Madame Mumblechook had taken him from her as her entry fee).
She recites the Master Spell to release him. ' It was a simple,
gay little rhyme, and it ended on a phrase that might have been
(but wasn't) "the dancing ring of days".' "
"Bah, humbug!" — A Christmas Carol