The Famous Spiegeltent
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The Famous Spiegeltent is a travelling Belgian "mirror tent" and entertainment venue. Originally built in the 1920s, the Spiegeltent travels around the world as a feature attraction at various international arts festivals, including the Edinburgh Fringe, the Melbourne International Arts Festival, the Adelaide Festival of Arts, the Brighton Festival, the Belfast Festival at Queen's and Just for Laughs in Montreal, Canada.
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[edit] Origins and history
The original "mirror tents" were constructed in the Flemish Region of Belgium in the late 19th century as mobile dance halls intended to travel around the country to town fairs which did not have a proper dance hall.
Only a few of the original spiegeltents still exist. The Famous Spiegeltent was built in 1920 by master craftsmen Oscar Mols Dom and Loius Goor.
German singer Marlene Dietrich famously performed "Falling in Love Again" in the Spiegeltent during the 1930s.
[edit] Construction
The Spiegeltent is transported from venue to venue in shipping containers, and is constructed on site at each location. It consists of about 3,000 pieces of wood, mirrors, canvas and leaded glass, and is then detailed in velvet and brocade.
Construction takes about ten to twelve hours, and is supervised by two Belgian specialists. In addition, an adjacent bar is constructed, which in addition to the lighting and sound equipment takes another few days.
When constructed, the Spiegeltent can hold an audience of about 300–350 people.
[edit] The Famous Spiegeltent today
The Famous Spiegeltent is owned and managed by Australian pianist and theatrical producer David Bates, who first utilised the tent as a venue at the 1996 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. After a successful visit to Melbourne in 2001, Bates bought the tent from its owners, and set it up as a unique travelling venue.
Although its history and decor make it ideal for cabaret-style acts, the venue hosts a wide variety of genres including rock music, classical music, comedy and circus acts.
The tent currently appears at the following festivals:
- Scotland: Edinburgh Fringe (August)
- Australia: Melbourne International Arts Festival (October)
- Northern Ireland: Belfast Festival at Queen's (November)
- Australia: Adelaide Festival of Arts (March, in even numbered years)
- England: Brighton Festival (May)
The tent has also appeared at the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal, Canada, and in New York City, USA.
[edit] References
- Ronn, Florenz: What's a Spiegeltent?, 774 ABC Melbourne, 7 October 2006.
- Edwards, Paul: Sensuality unleashed, The Age, 8 October 2005.
