1930s theatre lighting in the USSR

[ship]

Buy and read the book Sixty Years of Light Work - an Autobiography by Fred Bentham, Entertainment Technology Press. I believe he even traveled there to sell lights he talked about in the book. Been a few years since read, but overall the book will get you into some concepts of what was going on in lighting during the earlier euro times. Also a 1936 Strand catalog within it that's very useful - I even have two #73 in collection that's an interesting Pre-Leko concept but am still searching for a #23 that's a PC but so much beloved as per even as much as a Leko. Don't think the Fresnel is much mentioned but there is other lighting gear and work on concepts in lighting design that one could easily parallel the wants of this character to. This out of building up the heroin and or design for the lighting of the times.

 

[annapotamus]

Hm, it looks like the consensus is on a big team. That’s more work for me but it’s what I’d expected. The Fox backstage stuff is fantastically useful, thank you.

Theatre in Russia was originally a court luxury, and many of the serfs set to the job were indeed sailors, selected for the very reason kicknargel gives.

I am going to collate all this information and do some googling of the terms people have provided. Any more gratefully accepted of course, particularly on the question of team structure. But if it’s a really large one that will help a bit with the handwaving element – I can just talk about ‘the team’ without having to pick anyone to describe in detail, and concentrate on my character shifting stuff, doing basic work and climbing about the place. The USSR was basically training up its citizens of both genders to be cannon fodder at that point, so they were super fit and agile.

I don't know if this book will get published as I don't have a contract (I've written for younger kids to date) but if it does I'll certainly put controlbooth.com in the acknowledgement.

 

[JohnD]

It seems it is something of a myth about theatrical rigging having a nautical background. Check out this book from @RickBoychuk .
http://www.counterweightrigging.com/

 

[gafftapegreenia]

I don't have anything constructive to ad to this conversation but I am greatly enjoying it so far. Thanks team

 

[StradivariusBone]

Somewhat off-topic- I realize it's a long road between writing and publishing, but could you keep us apprised? I've got a 3-year-old who loves books and I just started reading him "real books" (no pictures). I found a great book in "Space Cat" by Ruthven Todd and we're now onto "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". I'd love to read him something that relates to what I do. Best wishes!

 

[kicknargel]

It seems it is something of a myth about theatrical rigging having a nautical background. Check out this book from @RickBoychuk .
http://www.counterweightrigging.com/

Interesting. Perhaps so. The resemblances remain, however, if only because both disciplines employ rope, sheaves, knots, working at height, etc.

 

[venuetech]

Any theater venue will be filled with historic items so your current setting may be 1930 but it was built fifty years before that (just a number I picked out of a hat) so a person will likely find gas lighting fixtures gathering dust in an out of the way place or imperial decorations that were ordered removed by the soviets.

 

[annapotamus]

Thanks all for the wealth of information. I have ordered some of the books you mentioned. I've also been on a backstage tour of the National Theatre here in London which wasn't that useful - but the guide told me about Up Late tours of the sound and lighting kits which aren't advertised on the website and only take place when they have enough people. Fingers crossed there will be one of those soon, that will enable me to clamber about in relevant areas.

StradivariusBone, I'll be happy to keep controlbooth appraised! All writers get very excited at interest in their work. The working title of the book is Steel Tanya, and it's 75% written; the theatre appears in the climactic fourth part. I don't know if it will be published because I don't have a contract for it, but I've had a lot of material published for younger children so it's in with a good chance.

There are quite a few other kids' and YA books revolving around theatre (see http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7481.YA_Theater) for a list, but I don't suppose many of them feature lighting.

 

[SteveB]

Thanks all for the wealth of information. I've also been on a backstage tour of the National Theatre here in London which wasn't that useful - but the guide told me about Up Late tours of the sound and lighting kits which aren't advertised on the website and only take place when they have enough people. Fingers crossed there will be one of those soon, that will enable me to clamber about in relevant areas.

I cannot imagine the Nat'l would be at all useful as it was state of the art in 1977 when it opened with much of the design techniques being used then still in use today. As opposed to vast differences between equipment and techniques between '38 an '77. The Nat'l used one of the very first computer lighting controllers - one operator pushing a button, where 5 years earlier it was a team of electricians pushing large handles. The style of operation of the lighting system is very similar today to what you found in 77.

Perhaps a trip to Covent Garden or one of the really old theaters that is government funded would be more useful, or as suggestion and tax write off, why not go to St. Petersburg and do on site research ?.