In most theatres and opera houses wagons are trucked on and off stage, but at the Bolshoi the wagons are winched to the back of the stage and hauled up into a vertical position, then dropped into a storage slot at the back of the stage until called for again. Since each of the two wagons was estimated to weigh 1.5 tonnes complete with the basketweave floor construction, Harlequin appointed structural engineers at the early design stage to calculate loads and devise special fixings to ensure the total weight was adequately supported during storage. The floor itself is based on Harlequin Woodspring - a basketweave design continuing a long tradition of use in Russian dance, and dating back to the reign of Louis XIV in France. This comprises three layers of wooden battens at right angles to each other, with cushioned pads underneath and a plywood top, which is covered by a Harlequin Cascade vinyl dance floor surface when used for ballet. To allow for the unusual vertical storage position, Harlequin designed special 'top-hat' brackets to attach the bottom layer of battens to the sub floor of the wagons while allowing compression and spring for the dancers, as well as fully securing the total assembly. A shock absorbent layer topped each bracket, with friction free layers on the other three sides, to eliminate noise but still allow the necessary spring in the floor. In total some 1,400 cushioned pads, 2,400m of batten, 300 sheets of 8' x 4' plywood and 700 special 'top-hat' brackets were used in the installation.
Currently involved in a three-year renovation plan that will transform The Bolshoi building that has changed little since the 1850s, the refurbishment sets out to install up to date stage technology while retaining the grand 19th century style of the red and gold auditorium and its glittering chandeliers.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
