You may have heard the term ‘raked seating’ or a ‘raked stage’ if you are a regular visitor to the theatre or spend a lot of time in lecture halls. Even if you have never heard the phrases before, you’ll have almost certainly sat in raked seating before, as it is commonplace in most venues. ‘Raked seating’ is simply when the seating is on a upwards slope away from the stage, in order to give those at the back a better view than if the seats were all of the same level.
A ‘raked stage’ however, is the opposite, with a stage designed to slope up at the back to allow actors occupying the space at the rear of the stage to be seen with equal clarity as those at the front. Raked stages were very popular in the Middle Ages and early modern era, but have since been eclipsed by the raked seating approach instead.
The main advantages of raked seating (sometimes called retractable, telescopic or bleacher seating) are the following:
- Improved visibility for audience members, especially those sitting at the back
- Maximised capacity of the space available
- Increased audience comfort
- Greater opportunity for interaction between audience and performer
Raked Seating at Auditoria
At Auditoria our Retractable Seating is raked, providing the best possible experience for the spectator. If you’re looking for raked seating for your venue, why not get in touch with the friendly staff here at Auditoria.
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