Rake (theatre)
Encyclopedia
English theatre
stages
in the Middle Ages
and early Modern era typically sloped upwards away from the audience
. This is known as a rake or raked stage and improves the view for the audience.
The slope of the rake is measured by the number of horizontal units it takes for one vertical unit measured in the direction of the slope
. A rake of one horizontal unit to one vertical unit (1 in 1), would give an angle of 45° from the horizontal. Rakes of '1 in 18' to '1 in 48' were more common. Modern stages are constructed with no slope, and the majority of existing raked stages have been renovated into unraked arrangements.
Converting the rake ratio to an angle requires the application of some basic trigonometry.
The angle in degrees = arcTan (opposite/adjacent), where opposite = the rise, normally 1 and adjacent = the distance this rise occurs over.
Example: for a rake of 1:18; arcTan(1/18) = 3.18°
Theatres constructed after the beginning of the 20th century feature a raked audience section. This change back to the method of construction seen in Greek and Roman theaters, (flat stage and terraced audience) was effected due the difficulty encountered when one tries to walk across a sloped surface, which had resulted in unnatural movement patterns to avoid the appearance of limping caused by the non-level surface.
Raked stages can still be seen in many opera productions, where a temporary raked acting surface is built over a theatres permanent flat stage. Creating a raked stage can also assist set designs
requiring forced perspective.
The practice of "upstaging
" other actors comes from the practice of moving to a more elevated position on the rake, causing the upstaged actor (who stays more downstage) to turn his back to the audience to address the cast member. The term "upstaging" also has since taken on the figurative meaning of an actor unscrupulously drawing the audience's attention away from another actor.
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
stages
Stage (theatre)
In theatre or performance arts, the stage is a designated space for the performance productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a focal point for the members of the audience...
in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and early Modern era typically sloped upwards away from the audience
Audience
An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature , theatre, music or academics in any medium...
. This is known as a rake or raked stage and improves the view for the audience.
The slope of the rake is measured by the number of horizontal units it takes for one vertical unit measured in the direction of the slope
Slope
In mathematics, the slope or gradient of a line describes its steepness, incline, or grade. A higher slope value indicates a steeper incline....
. A rake of one horizontal unit to one vertical unit (1 in 1), would give an angle of 45° from the horizontal. Rakes of '1 in 18' to '1 in 48' were more common. Modern stages are constructed with no slope, and the majority of existing raked stages have been renovated into unraked arrangements.
Converting the rake ratio to an angle requires the application of some basic trigonometry.
The angle in degrees = arcTan (opposite/adjacent), where opposite = the rise, normally 1 and adjacent = the distance this rise occurs over.
Example: for a rake of 1:18; arcTan(1/18) = 3.18°
Theatres constructed after the beginning of the 20th century feature a raked audience section. This change back to the method of construction seen in Greek and Roman theaters, (flat stage and terraced audience) was effected due the difficulty encountered when one tries to walk across a sloped surface, which had resulted in unnatural movement patterns to avoid the appearance of limping caused by the non-level surface.
Raked stages can still be seen in many opera productions, where a temporary raked acting surface is built over a theatres permanent flat stage. Creating a raked stage can also assist set designs
Scenic design
Scenic design is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers have traditionally come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but nowadays, generally speaking, they are trained professionals, often with M.F.A...
requiring forced perspective.
Upstaging
On a raked stage an actor who is farther from the audience is higher than an actor who is closer to the audience. This led to the theatre positions "upstage" and "downstage," meaning, respectively, farther from or closer to the audience.The practice of "upstaging
Blocking (stage)
Blocking is a theatre term which refers to the precise movement and positioning of actors on a stage in order to facilitate the performance of a play, ballet, film or opera. The term derives from the practice of 19th century theatre directors such as Sir W. S...
" other actors comes from the practice of moving to a more elevated position on the rake, causing the upstaged actor (who stays more downstage) to turn his back to the audience to address the cast member. The term "upstaging" also has since taken on the figurative meaning of an actor unscrupulously drawing the audience's attention away from another actor.