Stage Effects and Other Theatre Machinery

Abstract

I entered the collection with an agenda: I wanted to locate the material it held on stage machinery; trap doors, revolving stages, fly towers and winch systems, and - if I was lucky, trick props and stage effects, items that have become known as ‘burlesque paraphernalia’ or ‘side degree specialties’. As well as the larger machines, I went looking for the bucking goat, the exploding cigar and the collapsing chair...