Flat

Flat, timber frame generally covered with canvas, though modern stage designers use a variety of surfaces. The standard full-sized flat is 18 ft. high; in small theatres it may be less and in large ones may reach 24 ft. Its width may vary from 1 ft. to 6 ft., exceptionally to 8 ft. For widths above this two or more flats are hinged together, known as book (or booked) flats (in America two- or three-folds). Flats may be plain or contain openings; they may be straight-edged or bear profiling boards, fixed to the side and sawn to the required shape. They may be used as wings, and then carry on their on-stage edge an extension of profiling known as a flipper. This is hinged so that it faces the audience even if the flat is set at an angle, and can be folded flat for packing. Flats are used to form the three walls of a box-set. When those at the back are battened together so that the whole wall can be flown it is called a French flat. Variants of the flat are the groundrow, the set piece, and the backing flat, set outside a door or other opening to block the view beyond. A free-standing flat is supported by a stage brace—a wooden rod hooked to the back of the flat and screwed into the floor, or held down by a weight made to fit over the foot of the brace. Sometimes the flat is supported by a French brace (brace jack in America), a right-angled triangle framework of wood hinged to the back of the piece and opened out and weighted as needed. (See also FALLING FLAPS and SCENERY.)