Everything Needed For Curtains For Theatres And Large Windows

Cameo Curtains should be your first port of call when you are looking for stage curtains, as we are a leading manufacturer and installer in the UK. We produce every type of stage curtains that you will ever need, and also large curtains for many other venues such as large office entrance halls, schools, church halls, colleges, universities, and more.

We can manufacture your curtains from any type of fabric that you wish and it is always flame-retardant.

Many buildings other than theatres and cinemas require large curtains and we can produce them to any size needed. For instance, village halls often have large windows and may have to keep fit classes and wish to have curtains that will prevent passers-by from stopping to take a look. The same thing applies to many church halls.

Equally, church halls and others may have committee meetings in the evening in the winter and again need curtains for privacy. You may also want to block out sunlight for some purposes, and a tight cotton weave will do this very well. Another choice for large windows is velvet. This is a heavy material and because of its’ thickness blocks out light and can also help to absorb extraneous sound.

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A Brief History Of Theatre Equipment

Theatre equipment has been around for at least 2,500 years when in the 5^th century BC we know that the Greeks produced deus ex machina by which an actor could be lowered on to the stage. They later began to use movable scenery which was mounted on wheels. The Romans added traps which meant that actors or objects could spring out of the stage floor, and they also had pumping systems for outdoor theatres which could flood them for aquatic scenes.

Late in the 14^th century in Italy, engineers designed similar machinery for use in churches so that with a system of pulleys and ropes a whole cloud of angels singing could descend from heaven through the clouds. Further developments were made on the periaktoi devised by the Greeks which enabled scenery to be changed on movable prisms. In fact, stage equipment in Italy eventually became so complex that they had to invent the very decorative proscenium arch in order to keep it all out of sight.

Early Italian operas had sea scenes with waves made using spiral columns that were painted and turned slowly. Complex systems of wires and pulleys enabled gods and angels to fly across the sky, while monsters were operated by teams of men inside them. In the late 17^th century, Inigo Jones and Italian engineer Torelli produced a system for moving the wings so that scenery could be changed instantly. All of this became increasingly complicated and also expensive.

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The Purpose Of Blackout Curtains In A Theatre

When producing any sort of performance on stage in a theatre, directing the sound and light is critical. In order to make a dramatic impact as possible, the image must be framed in the right way.

Blackout curtains are used at the sides and rear of the stage outside the performance space in order to hide the offstage areas and equipment from the view of the audience. Known as borders and legs, these curtains are made from fabrics such as black wool serge which will prevent light from reaching the stage and in effect form the edges and rear of a black box. In addition, these curtains will also minimise any reflection from the light on the stage, and at the same time double as a sound barrier to deaden offstage sounds.

Black wool serge, in particular, is not only a light and sound suppressant, but is also inherently flame retardant, so it won’t need any form of chemical treatment as do many other materials. In addition, black wool serge is available in different weights, ranging from 300 grams per square metre (GSM) up to 1kg, although the curtain industry average is 500 GSM. Obviously, the heavier and thicker the material is, the better job it will do at suppressing light and sound.

Additionally, black wool serge curtains can be manufactured with a range of different pleats. A heavy and thick pleat will also help to dim or black out light completely, even if the fabric is unlined,