Theatre Design & Technology - Spring 1984 - 27

::lQ83 , but the question continues to
inger: Is this the best we could do?3
In contrast to the minimal Ameri:an representation, the USSR managed
o occupy a large amount of space with
Janels showing a wide variety of proects. These projects included concert
1alls, legitimate theatres, assembly
1alls, motion picture theatres, and many
nher types of entertainment and public
,paces. In the rear of the exhibit was a
·oom full of 2" diameter spheres that
vere mini-slide viewers showing a wide
lariety of subjects. The exact purpose
Jr meaning of this area was not very
:lear to those who wandered into it.
Nhat is clear, however, is that the USSR
s building many theatres, and is keepng architects, consultants, construcion crews, scenographers and theatre
echnicians very busy.
Other countries with exhibits in:Iuded the Federal Republic of Gernany that had a very interesting presenation on the Shauspielhaus in Frank·urt. This exhibit featured some very
'ine models and panels illustrating the
Jlant with great detail. The German
)emocratic Republic was represented
vith a number of projects including an
nteresting concert hall in Berlin.
The other six participating countries
wd exhibits that, while smaller in scale,
jid provide a wide variety of examples
Jf theatre architecture. Of this group,
Jerhaps the most elaborate present aion of a single facility came from CanIda with its Roy Thompson Hall disJlay. Excellent, large-scale color phoographs accompanied by an intricate,
lIuminated model made this exhibit one
Jf the best on the floor.

OISTT Touring Theatre Projects

This section is a tough one to comment upon due to the fact that not all
the participating countries seemed to
have the same definition of what a
"touring theatre" plant was to be.
Some, like the French with their "Le
Theatre Mobile et Module," featuring
modular building components designed
to travel on large trucks and tour within
the African continent, logically determined that "touring"means the theatre
itself must move around.
Other countries felt that "touring"
indicated that the theatre plant was
to be permanently situated while serving as a home for "touring theatre"
groups. Some of these theatres were

as one designed for Copenhagen that
took dockside terminal platforms and
modified them to become theatres and
other public spaces, recycled existing
spaces to become theatres.
If "touring" is defined to mean a
theatre that actually moves-that is, the
plant is portable-then one of the most
original designs was for the "Boat Theatre to Tour Greenland." This was a
theatre built on the ship Andreas Boye
to tour the coastline cities and villages
of Greenland. Also, the French "Theatre Container," a performance space
that moves by rail using containerized
units, presented another exciting portable theatre design.
Two additional designs that appeared
to be within the concept of a practical
portable theatre were: "A Dividable
Theatre for Touring Companies"cranes that erect a superstructure of
cables and skin move from location to
location on flatbed trucks; and the "Inflatable Hemisphere"-a large air-filled
tent.
Under the other definition of "touring," meaning theatres designed to
house touring companies in permanent
facilities, the "Deutschestheater" project was exciting. This conversion of a
former theatre in a northern German
university town included a proscenium
theatre, an amphitheatre, a street artist
square, and a small experimental theatre. This project was supported by a
clearly illustrated set of panels. "The

TIH:'ihre Lyrique Total Adaplable (France). Photo: P. J. Vierra

built from the ground up, such as the
one titled, "Middle-Asian Town: Kunya
Ureentch," a multi-form plant including an amphitheatre, outdoor spaces
for "street entertainers" and living
spaces for the actors. Still others, such

Garage Theatre" was another modification project that provided an original
solution for the recycling of alternate
spaces into theatres.
A project designed for Prague presented another interesting renovation of

USITT /Spring 1984/Theatre Design & Technology

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