dbuckley Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 The Hawth floor, and it's transformation from seated theatre to flat deck - how does it work? I'd pop along and have a chat, but it's a bit far to go these days, and the email contact seems unresponsive... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave singleton Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Seats fold flat down against the ground, then the same as quite alot of raked seating just uses a motors to move into the walls. They have various bits to transform the venue so you'd never know they were there if you went in for a confrence. I have to say I think the most impressive I have seen to date is the Brighton Dome's seating. I have no idea how that works but its bloody clever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambo_UK Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 The seating is tiered, if I remember corectly you just unhook it and push it back. Takes just under a day to do it, but great fun ** laughs out loud **. Will try and find a picture to explain it better. Best Person to contact is the Tech Manager, Chris Wilcox or Jim Smith. Chris Wilcox is on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 The seating is tiered, if I remember corectly you just unhook it and push it back. Takes just under a day to do it, but great fun ** laughs out loud **. Will try and find a picture to explain it better. Thanks, that would be cool. Chris Wilcox is on this forum.Chris! Look in your inbox :) (Though to be fair, with the customary BR style, it'll be a bit late...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Q Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 The Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield has a sectioned auditorium on hydraulic lifts. The seats are in modules and just unbolt from the floor. The seats are wheeled onto the orchestra pit lift, then lowered to sub stage for storage. Then the auditorium can be arranged into any formation from flat floor downwards - great for creating thrust stages, orchestra pits of any height, and conference spaces. The theatre was designed to convert into theatre in the round fairly straightforwardly, although it's not used that way very much (don't get me started on the lx positions!!!) Takes a while to shift all the seats though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilcoxjnr Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Seats fold flat down against the ground, then the same as quite a lot of raked seating just uses a motors to move into the walls. They have various bits to transform the venue so you'd never know they were there if you went in for a conference. Very Close... The main body of (raked) seating is bleacher style, so the rows of seats fold down, then each row slides back underneath the row behind. This eventually folds up,into multiple trucks about 2m wide and 4m high. The trucks then get put on castors and wheeled away to be stored in various other parts of the theatre. The hole (towards the orchestra pit) created by the rake continuing to below stage depth are then infilled with risers. It's a pretty rubbish photo, but shows the top section of bleachers: http://www.ott.co.uk/images/localinfo/crawley/hawth.gif This was all done by muscle power, no motors involved (though I think other multi purpose auditoria - Northampton Derngate etc. - have some posh air castor arrangement for moving the seat sections). In true "flat floor" mode, there is a continuous flat floor from the front entrance of the auditorium right to the back wall of the stage. In fact, when flat floor concerts are staged, a temporary stage has to be built on top of the existing stage surface! It is also possible to do true "in the round" seating for snooker, wrestling etc, where the bleachers moved from the auditorium can be set on the stage. It does take about a day to change round and is hard work - I think it just takes a bit of planning so that the flat floor bookings are (relatively) sensibly done. By the way, I dont work at the Hawth (and haven't done for about 10 years so there's every chance that the system has changed) but I have first hand experience... Hope this helps... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maeterlinck Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 ...a sectioned auditorium on hydraulic lifts.Sounds like the New London Theatre. The lower stalls are on platforms that go up and down. There are also 2 revolves, one on stage and the other is the stage and the lower stalls. This means you can move seats to behind the stage and have it in the round. Very clever, shame it's had long run west end shows for most of it's life... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Chivers Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 This was all done by muscle power, no motors involved (though I think other multi purpose auditoria - Northampton Derngate etc. - have some posh air castor arrangement for moving the seat sections).I worked at the Derngate, recently, and yes, they do have an 'air float' system for moving sections. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo_de_Gales Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Seats fold flat down against the ground, then the same as quite alot of raked seating just uses a motors to move into the walls. They have various bits to transform the venue so you'd never know they were there if you went in for a confrence. I have to say I think the most impressive I have seen to date is the Brighton Dome's seating. I have no idea how that works but its bloody clever! Hover bags! 92 of them across 15 seating blocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedd Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 (don't get me started on the lx positions!!!) Or the sound position!!!! Never had to mix a show before whilst ducking so the people behind me could see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrV Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Since this thread has been resurrected look at the Waterside Aylesbury. This explains it better than I can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo_de_Gales Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Does anyone know what the system is for seats in and out is at the Appollo Hammersmith? (Eventim to da yoof) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Remo Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Unbolted, stacked on racks and stored in the shed in the corner of the yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanhill Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Since this thread has been resurrected look at the Waterside Aylesbury. This explains it better than I can That’s a blast from the past. Pretty sure that’s ‘Yes, Prime Minister’ 2011 tour is the show leaving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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