| Gate |
The focal plane of a profile spot (qv) into which gobos (qv)
and iris diaphragms can be placed. |
| Gauze |
A loosely-woven cloth (qv) on which a scene can be painted. When lit from
the front, it is opaque and only the painted scene is seen; when lit from
behind, however, it becomes transparent. Commonly used in pantomime. |
| G-clamp |
Used for fastening lanterns to a bar. A G-shaped piece of metal with a
screw throught the bar of the G which clamps to the lighting bar. |
| Gel |
A filter placed over the front of a lantern to change the colour of the
light. |
| Get Out |
(Not what the director says when he fires you. Well, not only that!) A
touring theatre term: "getting out" the scenery, props etc. from the
theatre onto the transport. The opposite (remarkably enough!) is the "get
in". |
| Gobo |
A piece of metal or glass, which fits into the gate of a profile spot (qv)
and projects a pattern onto the set. Gobos can be very complex. They are first
fitted into a gobo holder. Holders vary in size (each type of lantern requires
a different size), although the gobos themselves are of a standard size. Most
basic gobos are made of metal but very complex patterns can be created on glass
gobos. |
| Go Up |
In theatre slang, a show does not start, it "goes up"; i.e. the
curtain goes up. |
| Grams |
A term little used nowadays, it originated (I think!) in radio. It means
sound equipment and/or the sound department (from - obviously! -
gramaphone). |
| Greenroom |
A room backstage, often licensed, in which the company can sit and relax
before, during or after a show. Once common, greenrooms are rarely found in
modern theatres. |
| Groundrow |
A battern (qv) placed on the floor of the stage, usually to light a
cyclorama (qv). Also occasionally used to mean freestanding scenery, of a low
height, running along the back of the stage in front of the back wall or
cyclorama. |
| Half (The) |
Half an hour before the first actors are due on stage (i.e. 35 minutes
before the show begins). All actors must be in their dressing rooms by the
Half. Traditionally the audience is allowed into the auditorium at that point.
Traditionally too, the House Manager blows a whistle in the auditorium to
announce the Half. |
| House |
See FoH. |
| House Manager |
In charge of everything which happens front of house (FoH (qv)): box
office, ushers/usherettes, the bars, cash, etc.. |
| House Tabs |
The curtains across the front of the stage. |
| Ingenue |
Old fashioned term for the female jvenile lead. |
| Instrument |
An American term for lantern (qv), what in domestic terms we mean by the
word "light". |
| Iron |
The safety curtain (qv). |
