If you wish to order any of the ABTT publications detailed in this section, please click on the link below to download the order form in Adobe© PDF® format, you will need Adobe© Acrobat Reader® or equivelant to view and print the form.

Theatre Essentials

Theatre Essentials is now available on the website in a pdf format.
Click here to download a copy.

 

 

Performing Arts Technical Training Handbook

The 2007/2008 edition of the Performing Arts Technical Training Handbook is now available.
Compiled and edited by John Offord
Cost £19.95, paperback, illus.; pp302
ISBN: 9781904031451
Technical Training Handbook produced by Entertainment Technology Press in association with the ABTT. Available from The ABTT

 

 

Theatre Engineering & Architecture, Vols 4 - 6

Three new volumes of Theatre Engineering & Architecture are now available -
Volume 4 - Stage Engineering and Technology.
Volume 5 - Planning and Architecture.
Volume 6 - General and Management.

TEAC 4, 5 and 6, the three new books from Theatre Engineering and Architecture on the design, planning and running of all types of theatres, are out now. They are based on the 32 sessions and over 100 presentations given at the 2006 Conference. Fully illustrated, they contain the collective knowledge of many leading national and international theatre managers, consultants, architects, manufacturers and operational and technical personnel.

Please follow this link for more information.

 

Theatre Engineering & Architecture, Vols 1 - 3

Volume 1 - Engineering and Technology
Volume 2 - Architecture and Planning
Volume 3 - Operations, Safety, Cost and Risk

The three books of the 2002 Conference papers are available from the ABTT and offer and extensive reference to the planning, design and equipping of theatres, opera houses, concert halls, community and music venues. The knowledge and experience of over 90 leaders in their professions are set out with many full-colour illustrations and graphics to form a vital and readable reference work to the difficult process of creating successful performing arts buildings on time and on budget.

Binding	Per volume	Per set of three
Paperbacks	£15.00	£40.00
Hardbacks	£25.00	£60.00

Postage and packaging is extra on all purchases unless collected. United Kingdom - £2.50 per book with a minimum charge of £6.00. Europe - £6.00 per book Rest of the world - £8.00 per book.

How to buy:
By Credit Card: Details of the books and how to order them, plus overseas postage and packing rates can be found on www.theatre-event.co.uk
By Cheque: Make cheques payable to Theatrical Events Ltd and place your order with the ABTT Office:
Fourth Floor, 55 Farringdon Road, London EC1M 3JB.

Codes of Practice

Codes of practice give guidance about specific areas of concern. Titles include Flying, Wire Ropes, Fibre Ropes, Pyrotechnics and Smoke Effects and Design Guide - Guard Rails. Codes of Practice are published in a handy A5 size, with an instantly recognisable dark blue cover. For a full list see the publications order form.

 

New Theatre Words

International illustrated dictionary of theatre terms published by OISTAT (Organisation International des Technicians et Architects de Théatre) can be purchased through the Association of British Theatre Technicians.
There are three editions featuring the following languages:
New Theatre Words - World Edition (Blue)+ Italian Supplement
English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Russian.
New Theatre Words - Northern Europe Edition (Green)
English, French, German, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian
New Theatre Words - Central Europe Edition (Red)
English, French, German, Dutch, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian.

Sightline

Sightline is the quarterly journal of the association. Its content comprises articles about theatre technology and design from the UK and around the world. One copy of Sightline is included in the membership fee.

Update (Page access for ABTT members only)

Update was a bi-monthly publication which aimed to be less formal than Sightline, and because of shorter publication deadlines was more immediate in its news. Update also contained the Safety Matters section, which gave details of safety issues pertinent to the Theatre Industry.
Update is no longer produced.

Safety matters (Page access for ABTT members only)

Safety Matters is a supplement to other regular publications that contains safety-related articles. Safety Matters is also sent out to other interested bodies, as well as the usual ABTT circulation.

Guidance Notes (Page access for ABTT members only)

Guidance Notes are short documents that give guidance on specific topics. Recent notes have been published on Exit signs, PAT testing at Receiving venues, and Risk Assesments.
A single paper copy of these are sent out to members, with extra copies being available at a small charge. Copies are also available to non-members, at a premium rate.
The contents of the GNs are also available on this site for members to download and print as required. Access to the PDFs is free.

PRESS RELEASE

The Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT) is pleased to announce the publication of the The Model National Standard Conditions for Places of Entertainment

The Model National Standard Conditions for Places of Entertainment and Associated Guidance are produced by ABTT, the District Surveyors Association and the Local Government Licensing Forum. These Model National Standard Conditions cover operational matters and complement The Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment, which cover the physical requirements for building and maintaining entertainment premises. The Model National Standard Conditions are provided for the use of Councils and licensees nation-wide in the interests of achieving a uniform approach to licensing issues. They also provide a guide to good practice for anyone concerned with the management of places of entertainment.

ABTT was alarmed to discover eighteen months ago that The Model Rules of Management, which were based on the GLC Rules, had not been adopted by very many licensing authorities outside London, probably due to lack of publicity of their existence as well as a slight resentment against all things from London. The Local Government Licensing Forum had published proposed national guidance without being aware of The Model Rules! The ABTT took the lead in creating new national guidance. All parties agreed to amalgamate and revise both documents and to publish the new guidance jointly. The Standard Conditions will apply to all places of entertainment, not just theatres.

The ABTT was delighted when David Adams was appointed as one of the two joint-chairmen of the Working Party, representing the entertainment industry at national level with Dr Colin Manchester, lecturer in law specialising in entertainment law from Birmingham University as co-chairman. The Working Party consisted of representatives from industry and enforcers. There followed a series of lengthy meetings. The ABTT Safety Committee contributed a large number of comments during the four months’ public comment stage. And the final document was assembled over a very long week end in Birmingham – 4 days/3 sessions a day were time-tabled!

The Model National Standard Conditions will be launched on 30 January 2002. The list of supporters is impressive including the ABTT, the Association of Building Engineers, the British Entertainment & Discotheque Association, the British Institute of Innkeeping, the District Surveyors Association, the Local Government Association, the Local Government Licensing Forum, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the Society of Entertainment Licensing Practitioners and the Trading Standards Institute. Other organisations have also indicated their support for this initiative.

“Why buy a copy? Surely my local council will issue me with one if they adopt the Conditions?” Well your Council should (a) adopt them and (b) issue a copy to each licensee – and we hope that this will happen. But it could take time. The process will need assistance and ABTT members can assist by being aware of the contents of the Conditions and by promoting them to their local enforcement officers. And the Conditions contain authoritative guidance on a number of issues that cause our industry real problems. If you follow the rules as set out in the Conditions with their technical Appendices you cannot go far wrong. Please get a copy!
David Adams, Joint-Chairman & Editor

TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR PLACES OF ENTERTAINMENT

Do you have problems with light glare from your exit boxes? or light spill from the emergency lights on the fly gallery? Does your local fire officer object to a laid-on false floor under the iron? Does he know really how a safety curtain works? Do you have problems with your circle front or not understand where safety bonds should be used? Are you clear where RCDs should be fitted?

These questions and a myriad of other issues are addressed in the long-awaited Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment, launched jointly by the District Surveyors Association and the ABTT at the Theatre Show in April 2001.

Almost from its inception in 1961 the ABTT worked behind the scenes to address authority on issues of common and acceptable technical standards. It was consulted by the LCC’s Theatres Section on the many issues of concern, which led to the publication in 1965 by the newly-formed GLC of Places of Public Entertainment Technical Regulations, the so-called GLC ‘Blue Book.’ The Blue Book was highly prescriptive, although it recognised by the use of bold and light type that whilst basic safety was an absolute requirement the detail might be open to discussion. Whilst the GLC had a specialist theatres department with a large number of highly experienced officers which could deal sympathetically and authoritatively with the theatre’s special pleadings all was comparatively well. Most licensing authorities outside London relied heavily upon the GLC (and the Chairman of the ABTT Safety Committee was the head of the Theatres Section.) When the Theatres Section was abolished and its officers made multi-disciplinary the pool of expertise was dissipated and many licensing officers, both in and outside London, began to treat the Blue Book as holy scripture.

The ABTT continued to be involved with technical regulations via consultations over the Home Office’s ‘Yellow Book’ (1990) and through membership of the BSI Committee which produced BS 5588-6 (1991.) Both were generally prescriptive and mainly limited to fire precautions.

Over the last five years the ABTT has been working closely with the District Surveyors Association in the production of the new Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment. All shades of opinion were represented on the Working Party varying from the ‘thou shalt not’ to ‘it’s all a matter of opinion’. It was recognised early on that sometimes the theatre industry could have a clearer understanding of a safety issue than a hard-pressed licensing officer on loan from the fire brigade or public health department with only theatre on his or her patch. And that some problems could have more than one solution. It was also recognised that just sometimes theatre practitioners may get it wrong and only the local authority has stopped them from (not) ‘getting away with murder.’ The draft document was subject to an extensive public consultation to which many people working in the theatre industry contributed.

The Technical Standards are the first fresh look at the technical requirements for safety in public entertainment premises since the GLC Blue Book. The Standards are written in a new format incorporating simple functional requirements, commentary and methods whereby the requirements can be achieved. The functional standards are set out as Model Regulations, which are expected to form part of the new Model Standard National Conditions. Each regulation is accompanied by a commentary, which discusses the reasons behind the functional standard and by recommendations, which suggest ways that the functional requirement may be met and sometimes give advice on good practice.

It is not intended that The Standards be cast ‘in reconstituted stone’. The Working Party will remain in existence to deal with matters of interpretation, subjects for inclusion and modifications in view of technical innovations.

The Standards will be essential reading for all technical managers, theatre consultants, licensees and enforcers. Whilst they primarily cover issues connected with the design, construction and fitting out of theatres and other places of entertainment they are also highly relevant to understanding the safe day-to-day management of the premises.

The Standards will be published in two formats. A4 copies may be purchased from DSA Publications, PO Box 266, Bromley Kent BR4 9ZN or by e-mail ldsa@goldserve.net

A5 size copies may be purchased from ABTT or from Entertainment Technology Press Ltd, The Studio High Green, Great Shelford, Cambridge, CB2 5EG or www.etnow.com