Theatre Design & Technology - May 1973 - 39

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Diagram of the Combination of Three Forms of Stage Space.

Hence, keeping in mind, that the basic type of stage for
the USSR is, and evidently will long remain, the proscenium gridiron stage, we came to the conclusion that what
was required was a combination of only two stage
forms - the deep stage and the open one - which is what
was realized in the construction of the Tula theatre. But
even the rejection of staging arena productions in this
theatre did not solve all our problems. To overcome them,
it was necessary to introduce changes in the usual construction of a stage of the deep type. Considering that the
forward acting area of the stage space in an open stage
must be enveloped or wrapped around by the auditorium,
the width of the stage was somewhat shortened by narrowing the width of the working galleries (fly floors) and
the diminution of the clearance between the pipe battens
and the galleries to 0.5 m. This narrowing of the working
galleries also necessitated the rejection of the counterweight system for lifting battens and using instead
winches located on the galleries. Thus, we rejected a
method widely employed in the construction of new theatres in the USSR.
An open stage surrounded, in part, by the spectators
brings with it the necessity of bending the proscenium
opening, and as a consequence, hanging part of the box of

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THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

the un iversal stage above the stage space to the extent that
a portion of the action is projected into the auditorium.
Hence, since we wished to include the possibility of using
three dimensional painted scenery in the entire space of
the universal stage, a fire curtain, indispensible according
to the current USSR rules for fire prevention, must approximately repeat the form of the red line of the open
stJge; that is, it must close the portal and the pockets
which are used while acting on the deep stage. From this
need additional complications of construction arose which
were connected with the T-shaped form and the significant weight of the fireproof curtain (about 30 tons),
which is located in the forward section of the stage tower.
The transformation of the auditorium is realized with
the assistance of three elements: a movable sliding wall
between the auditorium and the stage pockets, folding
seat platforms ("bleacher" type) arranged in the pockets
and a forestage pit lift. Combining these elements, it is
possible to obtain several variations of theatre space,
some of wh ich are represented in fig. 7. These varying
spatial possibilities are each integrated with the architectural expression of the structure since the transforming
elements themselves are related to the basic forms of the
auditorium. The sliding platforms of the side amphitheatres continue the design of the basic amphitheatre,

MAY, 1973

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