Do any theaters really have iron curtains?

Question: Do any theaters really have iron curtains!?

Like in Hitchcock's STAGE FRIGHT, where the bad guy is crushed with an iron curtain!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Yes, some do!. Its usually only a requirment in larger theatres though!.

The safety curtain (or fire curtain in America) is usually made of iron or heavy fibreglass (it used to be made of asbestos before the dangers of that were discovered)!.

The safety curtain must be able to resist fire and thereby prevent (or at least hinder) fires starting on stage from spreading to the auditorium and the rest of the theatre, reducing injuries to audience members and members of staff!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yes some theatres do have safety curtains or irons!. Some are plain with just the words SAFETY CURTAIN on them, others are beautifully decorated on the audience side!. Some of the West End theatres I have worked in have signatures of past actors and directors on the back - some of them famous who have performed in that theatre!. There is always someone watching when the iron comes in (usually chief of Stage)!.Www@QuestionHome@Com