Working with its premier Republic of Ireland dealer Stage Lighting Centre, J&C Joel supplied and installed new stage equipment into the newly refurbished 148-seater Taibhdhearc Theatre in Galway.
The theatre, now a listed building, was founded in 1928 by Michael Mac Liammoir and Hilton Edwards on invitation from a local committee, many of whom were academics in University College Galway, and who were keen to establish a theatre in Galway for productions in the Irish language. It is the biggest private theatre in Galway and has undergone three refurbishments since opening.
The original Front of House Curtains were designed by Mac Liammoir and are still in use today. The existing proscenium manual track was replaced with a ten-metre variable speed motorised T60 track which can be operated as required from either the stage manager’s desk or control room.
To allow for light projection on stage and flexibility of use over the seating area, the Front of House mechanics consisted of an eight-metre motorised Unibeam system, which was further enhanced by several ceiling and side wall fixed lighting bars.
A small actor’s left perch provided enough headroom and operating facility for twelve 3-line manual hemp sets with 16mm Chatham hemp ropes to give a 100kg SWL. These were further supported by two manual hand winches for the new on-stage curtain tracks or heavier stage sets and have a 250kg SWL.
On stage, 13 eight-metre-wide Prolyte Ladder Truss (X30L) with a 250 SWL were installed. For the new on-stage lighting bars four single speed, 3-phase, 3-line electrical pilewind winch units with multi-grooved pulleys and steel suspension cables were installed.
