Theatre Lighting in the Age of Gas

Entertainment Technology Press is delighted to be republishing this valuable historic work previously produced by the Society for Theatre Research in 1978. Theatre Lighting in the Age of Gas investigates the technological and artistic achievements of theatre lighting engineers from the 1700s to the late Victorian period.Believed to be the definitive history of a fascinating and little known aspect of theatre technology, this book covers the techniques of oil lamps and candles, lime light, carbon-arc, coloured fire and the introduction of the incandescent electric lamp as well as examining gas lighting techniques and associated equipment. Today’s lighting designers and technicians reading this book will be surprised to discover where some of their standard practices have dated from as the narrative reveals the development of the method of stage lighting.Terence Rees researched this work over a period of five years in places ranging from the libraries of the British Patent Office and the Institution of Gas Engineers to the decaying stuctures of about-to-be demolished theatres. The book contains over 80 illustrations which provide a clear visulasation of a bygone era.