Stage Curtains Can Be Used To Solve A Number Of Problems

Stage curtains have many different uses in the theatre business. The ones that the audience sees the most are the front of house curtains, also known as the auditorium curtains, and are often made of rich fabrics such as velvets to impress theatregoers. These can be very large and very heavy curtains and will need a special track on which to run. In order to be compliant, they also have to be flame retardant, so they can either be made of inherently flame-retardant materials or be treated with chemicals in order to make them so. If they are treated, they can still be cleaned but will need to be retreated after a few dry cleans or on every clean if they are washed.

Stage drapes also have other uses, such as blocking out light and sound from off-stage, and also concealing backstage equipment. They are used at the sides of the stage as borders and legs, and when made from light-masking materials can partially or totally block atmospheric light which has the effect of creating a black box on the stage. They will also prevent a lot of light reflection from the stage itself.

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The Uses Of Black Wool Serge

Black wool serge has been used in the theatre and events industries for years, as it has properties which are great at reducing unwanted sounds and echoes, and it is also useful for keeping out or keeping down light.

Black wool serge curtains are made from sheep’s wool which is woven to produce a fabric which is thick and rich, and is also very durable, which is ideal for controlling acoustics. In addition, the fabric is inherently flame retardant and conforms to BS 5867 Part 2B. However, if you are going to use wool serge for upholstery it will need to be back-coated so that it conforms to BS 5852.

When used to control acoustics, black wool serge drapes can be used around the stage in order to dampen sound travelling and reverberation of sound which can spoil a performance. The thicker the fabric and the more pleats there are, the better it will prevent the sound waves from travelling.

The fabric will also produce a very effective dim-out, although not complete blackout. If you want to completely block any light the curtains would need to be lined.

Wool serge is available in various widths, from 120 cm to 180 cm, and it can vary in weight. The grams per square metre run from 330 gsm up to as much as 1 kilogram, although the average in the industry is 500 gsm. Wool serge is a budget product and therefore ideal for use within the theatre business.

Blackout Curtains Can Reduce More Than Just Light

Contrary to popular belief, blackout curtains do not have to be black. They can be made in a variety of different colours and lined with a lightweight foam or have a core of black sunblock fibre.

In theatres, they are used to control the entry of light to specific areas, either blocking it completely or dimming it considerably, for whatever reason that is needed. However, blackout curtains are not only used in theatres, but also in many other places where the entry of light needs to be controlled such as conference centres, lecture rooms, university halls, schools, science laboratories, and more.

Furthermore, blackout curtains are not only used to control light but also can be used to control sound. So, for example, they might be used in a music rehearsal room or music studio where the sound coming in from the outside world interfere with the sound that is being sought.

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Cleaning Stage Curtains Is Very Different From Your Home Curtains

When you need your curtains cleaned at home you can do one of two things. Depending upon the size and the material, you can simply take them down and put them in the washing machine, or if they are somewhat larger and a delicate material you might want to take them down to your local dry cleaner if he provides a curtain cleaning service.

However, if you operate a theatre or other venue with very large curtains, your local dry cleaner almost certainly won’t have the machinery large enough to cope with cleaning them, so you will need the services of a specialist curtain cleaning company.

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All Performance Areas Have A Need For Stage Curtains

Theatres, cinemas, gig venues, school halls, universities, and more all have a need for stage curtains as a critical part of their operation. Stage curtains provide a strong visual impact for audiences when they are the front of house curtains and they also separate different areas on a stage and can be used to control light entering and also minimise sound.

Some stage curtains such as legs, tormentors, and so on will remain in a fixed position during a performance while others may be raised up and lowered down, while still others, such as the front of house curtain usually open and close so that they meet in the middle, running on stage curtain track.

Curtains like the main curtain/front of house curtain, can be opened and closed by two people pulling them with theatre ropes, known as walkalong, or they can be operated mechanically. There are certain advantages to mechanical operation, not the least of which is that it doesn’t require two people to operate the curtains, and also that when closing they will meet in the middle of the stage at the same time.

Other types of curtains include blackout curtains which can be used for all sorts of purposes. Made of a heavy material, they can be used to control not only light but sound as well. For this reason, they are now being used in offices, conference halls, and many other places where it is desired to control the light, or to keep down sound in a building next to a noisy motorway, for example.

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,

Large Curtains Of All Descriptions From Cameo Curtains

At Cameo Curtains our speciality is in making large curtains of all descriptions. Quite obviously, we manufacture and supply a lot of different types of theatre curtains, but there are many other buildings that have large windows that also need curtains, such as school halls, village halls, major office buildings with very large entrance halls, church halls, libraries, town halls, and so on. All of these are buildings to which the public has access and which from time to time require privacy, especially during the dark afternoons in winter when the lights are on inside.

At Cameo Curtains, we have the equipment necessary to handle these huge pieces of cloth and also a team of skilled machinists and seamstresses who know how to use it. Furthermore, when you are handling heavy velour’s they can be just that – heavy.

However, it is no problem for the team at Cameo Curtains. Whether you need village hall curtains for the front of the stage, Black Wool Serge Curtains, church stage backdrops, curtains for the windows of your school hall, or any other large curtains, Cameo has got you covered.

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What You Need To Know About Black Wool Serge Curtains

Wool serge fabric is made from sheep’s wool which has been woven to create a fabric that is very thick and dense, and very durable which makes it deal for stage curtains, especially for acoustic purposes.

Wool serge fabric is available in varying widths from 120cm up to 180cm and comes in varying weights as well. These are measured in grams per square metre (gsm) and can range from 300 gsm to 1kgsm. 

The industry average is 500 gsm. Wool serge also comes in a variety of colours, but the most common coloured curtains for stage work are black wool serge curtains.

Wool serge is a natural material and is inherently flame retardant without the need for use of any flame-retardant chemicals. It reaches the standard of BS5867 Part2B. This is fine for use as stage curtains, but if you want to use it for upholstery purposes then it has to be back-coated so that it complies with BS5852. If you are buying the fabric direct from a supplier, you should always ask if it is certified to the British Standard. If it is not, your insurance could be null and void in the event of a fire.

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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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Some Of The Options For Theatre Curtain Cleaning

It is a fact that theatre curtains do get dirty, especially if they are closed manually by a walkalong. However, even if they are closed electrically, they are still subject to dust and dirt from the auditorium, from scene-shifting, and from all the other activities that take place on a stage.

Both natural fabrics and synthetics will attract dust, but synthetics the more so because synthetics carry a sight electromagnetic charge – static – which is a dust magnet. Dust is not flame retardant.

The best option for curtain cleaning for curtains, cycs, legs, and so on, that are made of natural fibres – cotton, polycotton, linen, silk, jute – is dry cleaning. Natural fabric curtains have been treated with a fire retardant which is water soluble, so if you wash them, they will need to be retreated with flame retardant chemical spray again. Even dry cleaning will somewhat reduce the flame retardancy and some fabrics will need to be retreated after as little as three dry cleanings, while others may last for a dozen or more. It is necessary to test the fabric for flame retardancy after each cleaning.

Since flame retardant chemicals are affected by water, high changes in the humidity of the venue can also affect the flame resistance. For this reason, it is necessary to check the flame retardance periodically.

Synthetic drapery cleaning should be carried out at least once a year, and the best method is vacuuming. If you don’t want to clean curtains yourself, you can find a curtain cleaning service who will come and do it for you.

The Uses Of Stage Lighting

One of the most important things that comes under the heading of stage equipment or theatre equipment is the lighting. Lights allow us to see, and they can be used to create a mood. There are no particular rules about creating a mood: it is an artistic process that is supposed to support the story of what is happening on the stage.

Lighting is required to enhance all of the parts of the stage performance. Lighting can bring focus to a particular point, highlighting what is important and equally perhaps de-emphasising another area that is not so important, so that the focus of the audience is on the important part of the story.

Lighting can be used to take an audience away from the auditorium and into another time and place. For instance, if a scene is set in the past – perhaps the 19th century or earlier - then dim lighting can recreate the effect of candle-light or oil lamps which were used before the advent of electricity. Lights can also underscore the mood or action of the performance and can bring it to life with a combination of colours, intensity, angles, and effects.

Different stage lights can be used for different purposes. An ellipsoidal reflector spotlight can highlight a point with a fairly narrow beam while parabolic reflectors create a wash effect and can cover the whole stage. A Fresnel is something of a combination between a parabolic reflector and an ellipsoidal reflector spotlight and has a zoom function, while a moving head can be a spot, wash, or beam light which all have different beam angle ranges.

Some of the Types of Theatre Curtains We Supply at Cameo Curtains

Theatre curtains are used for a number of different purposes, many types being used to block light or sound, or to help sound move the way it is desired – normally towards the audience – improving the sound quality.

Front of house curtains are the visual barrier between the stage and the audience and are usually closed before the performance begins and during intervals. Intervals allow the stagehands to change the scenery if required without the audience seeing what is going on. Front of house curtains, or main curtains, are always made of inherently flame-retardant material.

Blackout curtains can be used in a number of different ways in order to dim or completely block light. They can be used at the sides of the stage performance area in order to hide off-stage areas and equipment from the view of the audience. These legs, as they are sometimes called, are made from light masking fabrics that totally or partially block the light from reaching the stage. They also minimise any light reflection from the stage itself.

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Theatre Curtains Don’t Last Forever

When you own a theatre, whether it is a provincial one or in one of the big cities, there will be times when you need to replace some of the curtains. Like anything else, they will wear out over time, and won’t last forever. Certainly, provided you choose a reputable manufacturer, your curtains should last for many years.

They may not all need replacement at the same time, of course, since some get more wear and tear than others. The front of house auditorium curtains are moved about all the time, whereas backdrops and legs aren’t.

Then there is also the question of the material from which they are made. Some fabrics are quite light, whereas others such as the different velvets used for auditorium curtains can be extremely heavy indeed. One would imagine that the heavier materials would last longer, but that is not always the case. Velvet stage curtains used for the front of house can take quite a lot of punishment, heavy though they may be. This seems to be especially true if they are opened and closed using ropes, because different stagehands will put different strains on them.

Of course, it is not only theatres which need very large curtains. You may have a village hall, a church hall, a school hall, a conference centre – and they will all need very large curtains, which won’t last forever. Certainly, if you have a village hall, the curtains won’t get as much use as in a theatre, but you have to allow for replacement at some point.

Manufacturing Theatre Curtains Is A Specialist Skill

When you are putting on a play, you need above all to be able to get the full attention of the audience and let them hear your actors and actresses perfectly, without any interruptions of noise from stage hands moving about behind the scenery or light coming in when it should not.

This is the reason that there are so many types of theatre curtains, in addition to the main auditorium curtains. There are backdrops, legs, tormentors, flybars, cycloramas, and more, and they are all very large compared with the curtains you have at your bedroom or bathroom windows.

This means that, if you need any sort of theatrical curtains made for your theatre, cinema, church hall, village hall, and more, you need the services of a company that can handle the manufacture of extremely large pieces of fabric. You can’t just pop down to your local fabric store and ask them to make them, because they simply won’t have the skills or the equipment. Producing huge theatre drapes is very different.

Apart from any other consideration, depending on the type of material that you choose, and the size of the curtains, they can be extremely heavy, and will need special handling. Theatre curtains can be made in any colour of course, although red theatre curtains are always a favourite because it is such an eye-catching colour. 

Of course, a specialist manufacturer will be able to supply any type of material and in any colour that you need, including fire resistant curtains.

Cameo Make Curtains For Big Windows.

At Cameo Curtains, we are known the length and breadth of the country for our theatre and stage curtains. We manufacture and supply every type of theatre curtain including front of house curtains, tormentors, legs, backdrops, cycloramas (or cycs), borders, – in fact everything you could need. In addition to that, we supply all the theatre equipment that you need such as curtain tracks, theatre ropes, motors for motorised curtains, and we also have a full installation service for any venue in the UK. In fact, if you are buying curtains and/or equipment from us you should always let us install it because it is a job for professionals using the right equipment and tools.

However, we don’t just manufacture theatre curtains. Because we have the equipment and a skilled workforce, we can make any type of curtains for big windows. Very many buildings have large windows, some of them very large indeed.

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Some Things To Consider When Buying Curtains For Large Windows

The curtains that you choose can make or break your room, so it is important to spend some time choosing the type of material that you want, especially when considering curtains for big windows. There are a number of things to take into consideration.

The first of these is the type of fabric. If it is too light, they may not hang well, and if too heavy they may not fold crisply when they are drawn, especially when choosing curtains for wide windows. It is worthwhile holding a piece of the fabric up to a window – even in the fabric shop – by pleating a piece at the top like an accordion and holding it up to see how well it drapes. If it flares outwards, it probably won’t hang very well.

 It is also worth noting that, if your room gets a lot of sunlight, it is probably a good idea to avoid very bright colours for the simple reason that they tend to fade faster than neutral colours. If you choose neutral colours you will find that they tend to blend in better with the room.

Another consideration when choosing curtains for large windows is how high above the window you want them to start. If you hang them six inches above the window it adds a sense of height to the room, and you could go even more if there is space. When measuring the width, add up to eight inches on each side and double the total figure. This will give fullness to the curtains and when open they won’t block the glass in the window.

Cleaning Stage Curtains Is A Specialist Job

If you have any sort of stage curtains, whether in a village hall, church hall, theatre, cinema, and more, there is no doubt that – as with anything else – they will get dirty over time. Of course, if your curtains at home get dirty you can simply take them down and put them in the washing machine if they are not too big, and of course depending on the material. If they are simply net curtains you can wash them, but otherwise you might have to take them to the dry cleaners instead for curtain cleaning.

 However, stage curtains are a whole different ball game, partly because of their size, and partly because they may need to be flameproofed. As it happens, there are companies around who can undertake drapery cleaning of stage curtains because they have the right sort of equipment that can handle very large items, and they have trained staff.

Of course, a curtain cleaning service for curtains the size of stage curtains is not going to be cheap, but it is a lot less expensive to have your stage curtains cleaned every now and again rather than leaving them until they really look dreadful and then throwing them away and buying new. In the meantime, your audience would be sitting there looking at tatty old curtains that haven’t been cleaned in years. This could even have an effect on your takings, because you might find that people would stop attending your shows simply because of the state of the curtains.

Don’t Buy New Stage Curtains – Get Your Present Ones Cleaned

Nothing lasts forever, and unfortunately, that includes theatre curtains. As a very rough rule of thumb, it has been said that, with all the abuse they suffer, after ten years, theatre curtains are going to look a little the worse for wear.

However, that is only a very rough guide and will depend on the type of material (obviously), how often they are used, and the type of venue. Obviously, the amount of use can vary enormously, with West End theatres maybe having ten productions a week, while the local village hall may only have half a dozen a year. However, whether they are in a West End theatre or the village hall, they will still get dirty – some fabrics more so than others.

So what’s the answer? Do you bite the bullet, pull them down, and invest in new curtains, or what? That’s certainly one answer, but it can be an expensive one.

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