Why Red Theatre Curtains?

As you sit in the auditorium of the theater waiting for the play to begin, have you ever wondered why the curtain between you and the stage is so often red? When you stop to think about it, there are so many red theatre curtains that it sometimes seems that theatre managements are completely unaware that there are actually other colours available.

The fact that there is a large curtain between the audience and the stage is that it provides a barrier between them and allows the audience to sit in awe wondering what the set will look like when the curtain goes up or opens. You have probably been to a play or show when there is a gasp of amazement from the audience when the curtain opens and displays a stunning set. It does what the title of a book should do and that is draw the readers in and keep them reading on.

Of course, the lowering of the curtain at the end of the scene simply shows that it is the end of that scene, and in the case of the last one the end of the play.

But why is the curtain so often red? There is actually an answer to it, and it is that the colour red in years gone by showed fire retardants the least. Today, of course, we have many different clear fire retardants, so it really doesn’t matter what colour the curtain fabric is, but it is the case that a red curtain has simply become traditional.

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