Kabuki curtains

The Kabuki curtain normally uses the force of gravity to reveal the scene with a surprise effect of great rapidity.
The curtain, hung from a rotating tube or other structure, is released and falls to the ground,
The effect can be continued for a few seconds using a lightweight fabric that offers resistance to air, such as the HSE - Tempesta silk.
With a special making, the Kabuki curtain can be used for a double fall effect.
In that case, its lower side is first dropped in front of the uncovered scene, while the upper side remains hanging, thus producing a closing effect. In a second time the upper side is also released, creating the opening effect.
A device for curtain opening by dropping it was described in 1638 by the scenographer Nicola Sabbatini in his treatise Pratica di fabricar scene e machine ne' teatri (Practice of making scenes and machines in theaters).

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