Banfield's "Old Vic" theatre model.

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Tony Banfield.




I'm a professional model maker / theatrical scenic artist. 

Like so many people now working in theatre I got the bug as a child through my toy theatre and went on to become stage designer and scenic artist. 
 About 15 years ago I was siezed by a desire to use my adult skills to make the model theatre I had always wanted as a child.  I decided to base it on a real theatre and settled on London's 'Old Vic' where all the greats of British heatre had performed and which has one of the most perfect and exhuberant mid Victorian interiors.  Flat cardboard would not do. It would need to be three dimensionally sculpted with the finest detail I could manage.  After nine months I had the prototype and I have subsequently made 16 versions two of which live in the USA, Two in Switzerland and Norway and the others in the UK.   Most have a miniature lighting rig with a laptop control board with around thirty dimmers operating three colour battens and spotlights - about 140 lamps in all.  Most also have a flying system, some have a revolving stage and / or working traps.  The decorative auditorium is contained in a cabinet of one of three designs.   I call it 'The Victoria Model Theatre' . Prices start at £2300 ( $3450)  The models are made to commission and can be seen on two websites.
 
www.pollocks-coventgarden.co.uk and www.miniaturesdirectory.com .

If you would would like to know more you can contact me on tone@banfi.fsnet.co.uk
Tony Banfield