Ireland, Galway
2013
148
Over Stage Engineering, Traditional Drapery
Traditional Theatre
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.
Founded in 1928, the theatre is now a listed building. Michael Mac Liammoir and Hilton Edwards established it at the invitation of a local committee. Many committee members were academics at the University College Galway, and were keen to establish a theatre for Irish language productions. Today, it remains Galway’s largest private theatre and has undergone three refurbishments since opening.
Mac Liammoir designed the original Front of House drapes, which remain in use today. J&C Joel replaced the existing proscenium manual track with a ten-metre, variable speed motorised T60 track. This can be operated from a control system at the stage manager’s desk or control room.
To support stage lighting and flexible auditorium use, J&C Joel an eight-metre motorised Unibeam system. The team fitted several fixed lighting bars to the ceiling and side walls.
A small actor’s left perch provided sufficient headroom and operating facility for twelve 3-line manual hemp sets . These systems use 16mm Chatham hemp ropes and offer 100kg safe working load. Further supported by two manual hand winches for the new on-stage curtain tracks or heavier stage sets and have a 250kg safe working load.
On stage, J&C Joel installed 13 eight-metre-wide Prolyte Ladder Truss (X30L). Each truss has a 250kg safe working load. For the new on-stage lighting bars, the team fitted four single-speed, three-phase, three-line electrical pilewind winches. These units feature multi-grooved pulleys and steel suspension cables.
