The Royal Theatre Safety Curtain, painted in 1978 by Northampton-based artist Sir Henry Bird, is both a vital safety feature and a striking work of art.
Commissioned for the Golden Jubilee of the Northampton Repertory Company, Bird spent 12 months designing and completing this elaborate piece, which he titled “Sipario Dipinto.” The design fuses theatrical fantasy with local history, drawing inspiration from Commedia dell’Arte and Hamlet’s Mirror.
In the central oval, archetypal characters of theatre — the fool, soldier, heroine, gentleman, and villain — are watched over by Apollo, while Pan crouches below. Around the frame appear masks, muses, zodiac signs, and allegories of time and the seasons. At its base, the “ages of man” unfold, alongside depictions of the theatre’s 1884 opening and the devastating fire of 1887. Portraits of local figures, from architect C.J. Phipps to actors Errol Flynn and Freda Jackson, frame the piece.
Restored in 2022, the curtain’s conservation ensured the survival of Bird’s flamboyant detail. Today, it continues to function as a fire curtain while celebrating the rich theatrical heritage of Northampton.
A commissioned painting of Langar (Free Community Kitchen) by SCCYC SMN by Artistic Seva, Slough, demonstrating the value of Community & Equality. The painting showing communities from all faiths and castes cooking together, eating side by side on the floor and washing up together. Chosen as part of the extended exhibtion Beyond the 100 in 2025/26.
© Photo by Marc Brenner
© Photo by Chroma Conservation
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NMAG
