An interesting experiment

Huon Valley Theatre has been going since 1988, and has had its flies since then. We have four or five, all of which have been painted over so many times that they are heavy, cracking and almost impossible to repaint now. New flies are, for us, prohibitively expensive (specially as they all need replacing). For our christmas pantomime we are trying something different. Instead of using two flies, we are constructing five panels (each 1.5m wide and 4m high) that interlock to form a backdrop that's 7.5m wide and 4m high. Each will be pivotted in the centre and can be rotated about this axis, so that we can have one scene painted on the front side and another on the back, giving us the equivalent of two flies at a fraction of the cost. At the moment the panels are being painted for the pantomime . . . so it won't be long before they're installed and we can try them out. If this system works, we expect to construct another set of five panels. This will give us the equivalent of four flies. If it doesn't work . . . then we have to rethink our ideas.

With 'Medici wings' I have found it easier to use two flats back to back, rather than just atempting to have a double sided flat by adding an extra skin.

This also gives a more substanial rail area to mount the pivot, either on the head or tail rails &/or both. You can get fancy or cheap utalising pipe coupling flanges with a spring on the pivot, to hold the location spigot in the flange bolt holes. Normaly there are five bolt holes in a pipe flange, which would give a variation of wing angles, making easier to preset all the wing flats to suit the set. The spring on the pivot is depressed by lifting & released to locate the spigot. The operation is made easier by attaching old carpet strips to the underside of the tail rail. The carpet s is put on with the pile downwards sitting on the deck, this gives smooth movement when the flat is revolved & shifted. Of course there are heaps of ways of producing the revole mechanism, but in all cases attempt to keep it simple, as the 'warm props' may even venture to operate them at times?

The carpet can help when using multi sided periaktoi, which will take the wieght off the central pivot revolve mechanisms, even if the deck is not flat. - This can also assist in shifting hevier set pieces.

With 'Medici wings'

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