I used to enjoy Autumn but since my Brighton commute now involves a long cycle along the seafront the ‘gale force winds’ have significantly cooled my attitude towards this season – makes me want to hibernate even. Speaking of which…
Maltbury’s Storage Accessories – because sometimes staging likes to hibernate too!
OK, please excuse the tedious link, but at least now I can talk you through how simple it is to store your decks whatever the weather.
1. Castors: These nifty wheels insert into each corner post of a deck effectively making a moveable trolley which can hold a stack of up to 15 decks. It’s that simple!
2. Ratchet Straps: To keep the decks sliding off each other we provide a strong ratchet strap to securely strap the decks together.
3. Trolleys: Effectively the decks are their own trolley. But we also supply special trolleys for the storage of legs (if you have a lot) and for handrails. We also supply narrow trolleys for when decks need to be stored on their side – i.e. to go through doors.
Now if only finding some glamorous waterproofs was as easy…
When I started at Maltbury it took me a while to clock on to some of the ‘staging’ lingo. One of the terms that I didn’t understand at first was ‘treads’. Treads are steps or stairs that lead up to the stage. And like Maltbury‘s versatile modular decks, our treads are versatile and modular too.
Plywood Box Treads
We offer different types of treads to suit different stages and different needs.
Our plywood ‘Box Treads’ are our most regularly ordered treads. For low-level staging they are an uncomplicated modular accessory that attaches to the side of the stage to create simple straightforward steps. However once the stage height starts to increase the plywood treads start to become impractical due to the bulky size and expense.
Modular Treads
Maltbury uses ‘free-standing’ treads for higher stages. By using a simple and strong steel framework the steps are better suited practically and financially for taller stages. We make the free-standing treads to order and they attach to the side of the deck. With the option of bolt-on handrails they instantly create a safe stairway. And when they’re not in use just remove the legs and they lie flat – great foreasy storage.
We also supply modular treads that can be built one on top of each other to virtually any height. They are made in 1 foot and 2 foot heights (see picture).
Get in touch for advice on what treads would suit your stage best.
Plain Handrails
Maltbury staging handrails bolt on the outside of our decks usually through the truss. A backplate provides a stable clamp on the inside of the frame. Because they can be attached through the deck’s truss the handrails can be positioned almost anywhere on a deck – they are not limited by needing to be secured through bolt holes.
There are two standard formats. By far the more popular is the plain style (pictured) although we also offer a grille style which fulfils the 100mmm sphere safety test: a ball of this diameter must not be able topass through the rails at any point. This is supposed to represent a small child’s head and so is usually only required where small children are known to be present.
Guildhall School of Music & Drama
We also make custom-designed rails for some of our non-standard jobs as at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (pictured).
Metrodeck handrails or Steeldeck handrails can be ordered to fit your existing staging decks or you can include them when your first stage order. Contact us for more information about stage handrails.
I thought I’d covered all the bases when discussing Stage Legs in the last Product Blog – but turns out I missed out one jazzy use! Well, I say Jazz, but actually I mean Zumba! Zumba is the latest craze in dance exercise and we’ve been handing out advice and quotes to teachers of Zumba who want a safe and convenient stage to shake their booty on.
1, 2, 3 Zumba!
Stage leg heights are paramount when considering a stage for teaching dance (Zumba or otherwise!). Whilst it’s essential that everyone can see the teacher it’s also important that the stage height is safe for the teacher to be jumping around on. As Maltbury customise our legs to any height, we can provide a stage that is safe and robust but that also allows for the whole class to see what move they need to master next!
For more info on Zumba check out the UK website. If you’re interested in receiving a quote get in touch with us at the office or find out more information about dance stages here.
A Free 100g Bar with you Quote!
Based in Brighton, Maltbury Staging are lucky enough to have a huge choice of some of the best British chocolate companies right on our door step – which made it simple to decide on what we should offer our customers this Valentines.
And although we hate ourselves a little for following the Valentines’ gimmick, I think you’ll forgive us when you see how un-cheesy (figuratively and literally!) the chocolate we’ve chosen to give away to you is!
The Independent calls Montezuma a ‘food superhero’ for their innovative and delicious flavours, high quality chocolate and ethical production.
All you need to know is that it tastes divine and how to get you mitts on some!! It’s easy, just call or email us with you your 
Staging or Backdrape requirements and we’ll give you a no-obligation quote AND a 100g bar of Montezuma chocolate!
“DID YOU KNOW!? We’re offering a free set of legs with every stage order made in March 2011! Click for more info!!”
We’ve had a lot of orders recently for different sized stage legs from customers who have already purchased a stage from us.
Modular Stage Legs
This is always encouraging as it means customers are really taking advantage of the versatility of their modular decks.
At one height the decks are already versatile – being able to change from a proscenium stage to a catwalk or even to in the round. But with different heights all sorts of stage formations are possible.
Boxhill School recently bought new legs for their stage and used them to make a raised platform that made the ‘bed’ in their Arabian Nights production – I’ve requested a picture as this has intrigued me!
Tiered Staging
Apart from offering different stylistic design choices, having different sized legs at your disposable means the stage can be customised for specific purposes.
Legs can also be used to create a raked stage whereby the stage is slightly sloped down towards the front of the stage. Or the different leg heights can be used to make a tiered stage for a choir or for tiered seating.
We have re-designed our stage legs so they can now be used either way around. This makes assembly easier as there is less to think about!
Our Steel legs are also priced very competitively – did you know four 200mm legs will cost just £8? Bargain!
A multi-purpose venue requires a multi-purpose stage! Our staging systems are praised for sturdiness, strength and reliability but a Maltbury Stage is by no means static. A stage built from our portable decks can take as many formations as your imagination will allow. Let’s look at one of the most popular formations though – THE CATWALK!
A Maltbury Catwalk
Maltbury Staging has provided staging exclusively for catwalks but our staging is versatile enough to create a catwalk from our standard decks.
One unforgettable catwalk we provided was for an Alexander McQueen fashion show at London Fashion Week. The catwalk, made using Steeldeck, was 75ft long and had a rough-sawn wood finish to keep it in line with the ‘Industrial’ theme of the fashion show. For the finale a model in a plain dress was spray painted with automated spray guns while she revolved on a hidden turntable! Click here to see the YouTube clip of our catwalk in action!
For smaller venues our Metrodeck staging is light enough for easy manoeuvre and can be compactly stored. Perfect for arranging into a fashion catwalk for a one-off show with minimal effort!
But catwalks are not just for fashion shows. Using Metrodeck, Canon Slade School extended the front of their proscenium stage with a catwalk for their musical production ‘We Will Rock You’.
Fashion, theatrical, musical or otherwise, Maltbury Staging can provide you with a catwalk that meets your needs and budget. Click here for information on Metrodeck. Larger venues may want to consider Steeldeck. If you are unsure of your requirements get in touch and we’ll be more than happy to point you in the right direction.
Maltbury Staging systems provide a flexible solution for the difficult demands of multi-tiered choral risers.
Our Metrodeck is ideal for choral risers needed for the occasional performance. Smaller venues can enjoy the ease of being able to assemble and disassemble the decks by hand. Once dismantled our decks can be stored very compactly – perfect for venues with limited storage space.
Want something a bit bigger? Our Steeldecks are strong and sturdy enough to hold the largest of choirs! Check out our Gallery to see our choral risers in action and discover which deck might be best for you.
- Metrodeck Tiers
Proscenium Stage
Don’t know your Thrust from your Traverse? Proscenium or in the Round? Theatre has a language all of its own but it’s really rather simple. . .
- Proscenium Stage: The audience sits on one side of the stage only. Perhaps the most straightforward layout (of course the simplest stage would want the fanciest name!).
- Traverse: Similar to a catwalk – the spectators watch from either side of the stage.
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Traverse Stage
In the Round: A layout where the audience surrounds the entire performance.
- Thrust: The performance is watched from three sides of the stage; downstage, stage right and stage left.
Different formations can offer different levels of intimacy with the audience or allow for better audience interaction. Different stage layouts can also affect how contemporary or how traditional a performance comes across. The pictures on the right show classic examples of the types of stage mentioned here. Click to enlarge.
In the Round
Our staging systems can create any one of the above stage layouts. One memorable and rather gamorous example is the Traverse stage we provided for an Alexander McQueen Fashion show!
But whilst some of our customers keep to just the one stage formation, Hemsworth Arts College and Canon Slade School have really taken advantage of the versaltility of our Metrodeck staging systems. Both schools regulary use their decks to create performances in the Round, in Traverse AND in Proscenium.
Thrust
One of Maltbury’s most recent and popular product innovations is the Maltbury Backdrape. But what exactly is it?
The backdrape has various names within the industry including pipe and drape system, pipe and base system and theatrical backdrop. The Maltbury Backdrape creates a large smart non-intrusive background space. Ideally suited to be used behind a theatre stage it can cover up the back wall of a room/school hall/sports hall so that the theatrical space in front is not hindered by distracting features of the non-dramatic wall/window/doorway. Besides being a stage backdrop, since it is a freestanding backdrop, some customers even use the Maltbury Backdrape as room dividers or exhibition stand curtain backgrounds.
The key advantage of the Maltbury Backdrape is the endless possibilities it allows by being a modular pipe and drape system. It is made up of telescopic uprights and telescopic crossbars which hook onto the uprights. As a result the size covered by the backdrape can be as big or little as desired for your event. And because the system is modular and portable it can be moved into any arrangement you need as long as you have enough baseplates for each corner you need to create. The only downside of the pipe and drape system is the weight of the baseplates – they’re heavy but this can’t be avoided if you want a robust reliable system. Luckily they come individually packaged with carry handles for easily moving.
Although sometimes the term ‘backdrape’ is used to describe painted scenic backdrops or white backdrops, the Maltbury Backdrape is usually a black wool serge drape system – the leading standard of theatrical drapery. However, if black wool serge isn’t what you’re looking for, ask the Maltbury team about other drape options – for an additional cost you can have different coloured drapes, star lights, backlights or a mix of more than one type of drape. Once you have different drapes in stock you can simply slide them onto the system for whichever event needs them. Like the rest of our modular stage products, the opportunities are endless and the final choices and options are always left to you.
Our full price list and full technical specs of the Maltbury Backdrape and are available from our downloads page. Please note our backdrape system is only available to buy. For hires please contact us and ask for one of our distributors which can hire it out.