POTO chandelier crash

[Damian Jay]

The chandelier falling effect from Phantom of the Opera has stayed with me since I first experienced it. I was terrified the first time I went to POTO as I was sat UNDER the chandelier and knew nothing of the story or the effects in the show. Ever since then I've had a few questions about the effect which over the years I've found the answers too. Except one which I'm asking about today.

 

First off I must say that I am attempting to put this effect into my working model of a theatre, I'm not staging a production of POTO.

That said I'll attempt to put my thoughts into some sort of coherent order.

 

My understanding of the chandelier effect workings are:

 

3 sets of lines. Each set has two lines

1st set of two.

From the top of the chandelier straight up through the auditorium roof. This set controls the rise and fall of the chandelier and as I understand, takes most of the weight.

2 nd set of two.

These come from somewhere on the grid above the stage. Each line coming from opposite sides of the stage. These lines come down, under the pros and up to the top of the chandelier. These lines kick in when the chandelier is 'falling' and pull the chandelier onto the stage at the right time. Then lowers it to the stage to 'crumple'

It is these lines that lift the chandelier up from the stage to a point where the 1st set take over and bring it out over the audience and up into the auditorium.

3 rd set. Not really sure about the function of these. My guess is they help limit the sway of the chandelier as it's rising / falling. Maybe they are also used by the actor playing the Phantom to somehow 'shake' the chandelier at the right time.

Now while I have all that fairly sorted ... what I don't understand is how the second set of lines work when a safety curtain is also used in the venue.

When I've seen POTO where the chandelier DOES 'fall' the venue have also brought in the safety curtain during the interval.

So my questions are:

1 - Are the second set of lines set behind the safety curtain? If so, are they slackened right off to stage level so the safety curtain can be lowered? ( I'm sure this is NOT right as it seems very silly to have so much slack wire)

2 - Are these lines somehow passed between the safety curtain and the pros? if so, is there usually a gap between the top of the safety curtain and the pros?

 

 

Any help or advice you could give on the positioning of the onstage set of lines and how they work in conjunction with the use of a safety curtain would be greatly appreciated.

 

As usual, thank you for your time and your help. Damian

[PDD]

I happened to see the show on Friday and it looked like two smaller hoists attached to the false-proscenium which sits in front of the theatre's structural proscenium, so the mechanisms don't go behind the safety curtain line at all.

 

You're right that the main lines go up to the ceiling and do the load lift, whilst the two other lines go to the false-pros to pull the chandelier onto the stage at the last minute of descent. There was a single third line which, as you say, is used by the Phantom to shake the chandelier as an effect.

 

There was also a stage crew member just behind the chandelier as it lands. There's a pyro pot to mask it, but I definitely saw someone there - presumably to grab the chandelier and stop it swinging back into the orchestra/audience.

 

That's all I saw.

[Malcolm Gordon]

I recall some years ago a thread on this subject, including a model on Blue Room but cannot now find. However, if you go to YouTube and search for 'Phantom Chandelier Model', all sorts of useful videos come up, showing the construction and operation of the chandelier. In particular there is

by a modeller (who has also posted a later version).

 

It doesn't, however, answer your question about the safety curtain.

[Damian Jay]

Thanks PDD, it's always nice to have theories confirmed :-) Regarding the second set of lines going to the false pros .. I'll have a play about with having mine go through the top of my pros as I don't have space to build a false pros in front.

I always wondered if there were any crew or cast about to 'catch' the chandelier as it came onto the stage.

 

 

Malcolm, I found quite a few video's (including the one you've linked too) however you are correct. None of them show how these lines would work in conjunction with a safety curtain. I'll have a play about with the idea I mentioned above about going through the top of my pros.

 

Thank you both for your time in replying :-)