Theatre Design & Technology - Oct 1965 - 22

into the orchestra, the show can take place on
a deeply thrust open platform as well. The stage
may be isolated from this platform by closing off
the portal with a curtain. By rotating the smaller
circle, on which IS placed a portion of the
auditorium amphitheatre as well, the open stageorchestra can occupy any position with respect
to the spectators.
An effort to utilize the building's architecture as
a vigorous arti stic influence on the spectator
led the architects Mal'tsin and Bykov to the idea
of revolving the entire amphitheatre into the
auditorium, projecting onto the outer walls of the
building a series of panoramic scenes which are
extensions of the orchestra playing space of the
small circle. Such a universal arrangement allows
staging of any type of production including
classic drama on the open forestage, with the
background suggesting a landscape.
Experimental ideas of another prominent director,
Nikolai Akimov, are based on somewhat different
staging principles (Figure 14, for the Leningrad
Comedy Theatre). Comedy and satire share
characteristically unique requirements in terms
of space and equipment.

In such theatres, the principal staging requirement is a close union between the playing space
and its audience. The deeper areas of the stage
lose to a marked extent their importance so far
as the play is concerned, and frequently serve
for mere decorative background for the forestage,
where the ploy actually tokes place. Here, importance of the scenic provi sions and related
equipment for the forestage becomes measurably
increased.
To assure fulfillment of these requirements, the
arrangement elected provides for the movement
of fragmentary settings and properties arouna
from behind the seating bonk and into a wide area
before it. This is effected by means of two circumferential rings moving around the auditorium
forming a kind of conveyor. Such equipment provides for fast changes between scenes and episodes, without the necessity for lowering an
intermission curtain. With such equipment all
the sets of a show can be mounted in advance,
and the change s effected automati ca Ily. For the
deeper

part of the

stage offstage wagans are

provided, as well as slipstages, a cloth cyclorama,
counterweight system, etc., permitting use of
the stage both for staging conventional spectacles and for touring companies.

FIGURE 13: Project for a V. V. Mayakovskii Theatre;
Director, Nikolai Okhlapkov, Architects: Bykav
and Mal'tsin (1962)

Ring of circumfrentiol stages, with provision
for delivering wagons from the stage

Deep

stage wi th

elevator system
Scenery storage

amphitheotre

Slipstage

Rotating forestage

Lorge revolver

10
11.

Small revolver
Cyclorama

Auditorium

(2.500

seats)

Elevator orchestra pit

Side stages

with

rotating

Plan of the Third Level

concentri c

revolvers

and

Section

Schemes for T ransformo·

tion of the auditorium

Deep stage
Open ponorami c stage

Areno, surrounded

spectators

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