Theatre Design & Technology - May 1966 - 34

While both the multi-slide Linnebach and the lens
projector-cum-periscope are devices useful enough
in themselves, Mr. Wilfred insists that these be
used always in the same location: employing a light
bridge just above the curtain line and the adjacent
upstage batten s. Th is pre sumes that the proj ected
images would always fallon the same surface, be
it flat screen or curved cyclorama. As has already
been observed, this seems like a limiting and dull
approach, and one an audience might well tire of
quickly after a few repetitions.
From a purely practical point of view, projectors in
such extreme downstage locations have mony disadvantages. Obviously there can be no scenery of
any height, especially in the upstage areas - only
furniture and low set pieces, nor can these be ploced
too close to the screen. The entire hanging system
becomes useless, for nothing can be dropped in or
lifted out without either blacking out the projection
or passing the moving object through the beam.
The Heptarena Theatre, designed by Wi Ifred, is
descri bed: a c lever arrangement of a theatre-i n-theround in which seven projections are thrown on the
walls of a circular house. This is advanced as the
solution to providing scenery for the arena stage,
but inasmuch as such scenery or other designs would
be separated from the actors on the central stage by
several rows of spectators, any value as "scenery"
or "atmosphere" is doubtful. They might make
pleasant subjects for 'tween-act contemplation.
Eight pages of miscellaneous information, advice,
and suggestions, most of them useful, follow the
Heptarena Theatre, after which comes an appendix
of press
comments concerning The Vikings of
Helgeland for which Wilfred provided the projections
and a visual accompaniment on his Clavi lux. This
was in 1927. The book closes with two pages of
biographical notes about the author.

A selective, yet fairly camplete annotated
bibliography of this material, published since Warld
War II, forms section III of PLANNING FOR THE
THEATRE by Bowman, Coleman, and Engel. But
what is most valuable is the use to which this
bibliography is put. The bulk of this ring-bound
manual is a comprehensively.detailed checklist of
every conceivable consideration to be taken by
those who are planning not only proscenium stages
but all other types of performing arts structures.
The list is organized as an alphabetized topic outline with an initial section devoted to the theatre as
a building type, and the rest of its divisions applying to the building parts concerning audience, acting,
and offstage space. Page Ii stings of the appropriate
references in the bibliography pertaining to the
specific problems as itemized are noted in nearly
every instance.
Admittedly the majority of the answers are to be
found in a trio of sources: primarily Burris-Meyer
and Cole's THEATRES AND AUDITORIUMS (1964),
and to a less extent Percy Corry's PLANNING THE
STAGE (1961), and ANT A'S OPEN STAGE THEATRE CHECK LIST (1961). Herein lies what little
weakness there is ta be found in this handbook. Too
frequently there is but one reference listed, leaving
little or no choice for comparison. When only one
authoritative book is avai lable, it tends to become
a "Bible"; but its uniqueness does not make the
book's authority absolute. It is hoped that in the
near future many more respected practitioners of
theatre design will find time to publish their views.
Meanwhile, those who are currently engaged in
developing facilities
for performance will find
PLANNING FOR THE THEATRE a most welcome
and useful guide.
Jay B. Keene
Queens College

Harvey Smith
Yale University
SCENO-GRAPHIC TECHNIQUES, Second Edition,
by Oren Parker, Pittsburgh, Pa.:
Carnegie Institute of Technology, 1964; pp. 85,$3.50.
PLANNING FOR THE THEATR E.
By Ned A
Bowman, William Coleman and Glorianne Engel.
Pittsburgh: Published by the authors; 1965. pp. 75,

$2.00.
Bui Iding new theatres has become a national pastime precipitated by the "culture explosion." A
tremendous need to house all the activities of this
boom is placing ot least one newly-born idea for an
arts center on the doorstep of just about every
arch itect around. But theatres demand very spec ia I
attention, and their much publicized illnesses as
bewa i Ied by a mu Iti tude of users are enough to gi ve
caution to any prospective master-builder. In the
hope of preventing further sickness, specialists
have been answering the call by treating all aspects
of theatre architecture and engineering in a number
of books, periodicals, and college degree papers.

Part One of this excellent little book proceeds
systematically to explain the mysteries of drafting
to the novice. Starting with drafting equipment
each instrument and its use as well as materials
are described in text and line drawings. The
orthographic projection is explained clearly with
the aid of the same illustrations used to explain
it in SCENE DESIGN
AND STAGE LIGHTING
(by the same author). The use of various types of
lines, sectioning, scale and dimensioning of drawings are all given careful treatment that is both
brief and complete. Auxiliary views and pictorial
drawings, isometric and oblique, are given slightly
longer and equally clear explanations.
Floor plans, furniture plots, hanging plans and
sections, and lighting plots are thoroughly explained
and well illustrated by use of reproductions of

I OSITT

THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOlOOY

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