Sunday, July 7, 2019

Facades And Work Space

The NAC's backstage area includes a large workshop space for the building of sets and other physical work involved behind the scenes. Carpenters, electricians, welders, and other trades are part of things back here, and some of their work can include the construction of props and sets. Full scale items were on display, as well as models for set designs. Often what someone might be called upon to do is to create something flat that appears, from the audience point of view, to be the real deal, such as a bookshelf or a painting. Some of that is below.


A wider view of the workshop. A photograph of the actor Cary Grant, taken later in life, is up on that wall. He must have come into the city at some point or another. Incidentally, my favourite Grant films would have to be North By Northwest, To Catch A Thief, The Philadelphia Story, and Bringing Up Baby. What are yours?


Blueprints are generally quite detailed, such as the case with this, showing another of the theatre spaces in the building. Aside from Southam Hall, there are three other formal performance areas, declining gradually in size to the more intimate Fourth Stage. 


Being a workshop, this area has power tools and hand tools. Some of them were on display at large work tables.

42 comments:

  1. Very interesting things to see ! I liked Gary Grant too ! My favorite movie was the one with the old ladies and the laces who killed all the widows !

    ReplyDelete
  2. The bookshelf is so beautiful!
    North by Northwest is a very good film. I have not seen the other two.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ...I'd find building sets to be interesting work!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am sure that a particular set of skills are required by the various tradespeople.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Those days I worked with hands and tools are so long gone. Nice to see!

    ReplyDelete
  6. so cool. i enjoy the mini view ... what great details. ( :

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello, the paintings are great. It is interesting to see the building sets and the tools. Enjoy your day and new week!

    ReplyDelete
  8. @Gattina: thanks!

    @Ella: "that's not very sporting using real bullets."

    @Tom: definitely.

    @Francisco: thanks!

    @David: indeed.

    @Iris: it's beyond me.

    @Marie: thank you.

    @Beth: I agree.

    @Eileen: thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  9. North by Northwest is a great film indeed.
    I love Cary Grant!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think we have seen just how much goes on in the making of a production William ✨

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a far cry from the faux stained glass panels I made on butcher paper for the sides of the stage in the gym in high school! We painted right on the gym floor, of course. I have no memory of the play, and after the play was over, the paintings were tossed.

    ReplyDelete
  12. You showed all the things most people don't know about theaters. It was one of my favorite places to visit in our theater.

    ReplyDelete
  13. A lot of work that nobody notices...

    ReplyDelete
  14. North by Northwest is my favorite but everything with Grant in it is worth seeing.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh what fun to be in a workshop!
    Happy Sunday, William!

    Janis

    ReplyDelete
  16. North by Northwest is my favorite. I love those illusions, too! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wonderful look around backstage.
    'North By Northwest' is one of my favourites as well. Thinking of it, I see the scene of that plane in front of me ...

    ReplyDelete
  18. That is a large space they have!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Looks like those work tables with the tools have seen much work done on them.

    ReplyDelete
  20. A lot of serious work goes on behind the scenes.

    ReplyDelete
  21. It is obvious that these are all very professional items!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Takes a lot of talent to make these sets!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm just catching up with your visit to the NAC in Ottawa. What a marevllous place. I'd love to have a look around the back scenes. I love going to the theatre and I always wonder what goes on backstage. I've been in small theatre productions myself, but never in a big theatre complex like this.

    ReplyDelete
  24. That workbench has had dedicated use, too.

    ReplyDelete
  25. These things we don't often get to see. Interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  26. "...favourite Grant films would have to be North By Northwest, To Catch A Thief, The Philadelphia Story, and Bringing Up Baby. What are yours?"

    I have heard his name many times, but I am not sure that I have seen any of his films... but I must have, right? I mean, he is so famous.

    ReplyDelete
  27. @Italiafinlandia: of Hitchcock's films, North By Northwest is my favourite.

    @Grace: there is a lot of work behind the scenes.

    @Barbara: we would have done similar things.

    @Red: I enjoyed my visit.

    @Karl: that is true.

    @Sharon: I agree!

    @Janis: it's eye opening.

    @Janey: very much so.

    @DJan: me too.

    @Jan: I love the whole movie.

    @RedPat: it certainly is.

    @Happyone: that's the case.

    @Bill: definitely.

    @Marleen: very much so.

    @Michelle: it does.

    @Shammickite: this is a big place.

    @Joanne: it really has.

    @Nancy: I thought so.

    @Sandi: you should see some of his work.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Delightful post and photos ~ so informative and such creative work being done ~

    Happy Day to you,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Love the flat bookcase. I remember watching 'Mr Blandings Builds his Dream House' many years ago:)

    ReplyDelete
  30. What a wonderful look around backstage, thank you.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  31. This is my favorite part of your open doors, the theatre and the backstage. I loved Cary Grant -- your faves are mine and I'd add "Arsenic and Old Lace" and "Charade."

    ReplyDelete
  32. It's so much work to do behind the scenes.

    ReplyDelete