Theatre Curtain

Item number Edz1220 a-d from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Proscenium arch style curtain composed of 3 equal length panels (parts a-c). All panels are polychrome embroidered satin-finish silk backed with canvas. One panel (b) is hung horizontally with left and right vertical panels (a,c) hanging down each side. The horizontal panel has two dragons face-to-face over a ringed circle. The bottom edge is scalloped and decorated by multi-coloured tassels. The vertical panels are identical, but with the designs reversed. They have a dragon's tail and central 6 tiered pagoda. Other designs are all symbols in Chinese cosmos. The curtains are hung by numerous cloth straps (part d) which are looped through metal brads in the top of each curtain.

History Of Use

Used as a theatre backdrop.

Narrative

Used as a prop by the famous Chinese acrobat-magician, Long Tak Sam. The curtain was brought to North America by him to use in his vaudeville tour. The great-granddaughter of Long Tak Sam, Ann Marie Fleming, made a full-length film about his life, called ”Long Tak Sam”.