You are here: Blog » Archives for medieval props
January 10th, 2012
Are you looking for a fun theme for a birthday party? How about a medieval party? No matter the age of the birthday girl or boy, guests will enjoy dressing as knights and ladies or kings and queens.
For more than forty years, Keeley Hire has been providing prop hire for films, television, theatre, and themed events throughout the UK. We have one of the widest ranges of realistic props available for public hire. We have made a selection of our finest middle ages props for you so that you can easily find what you want. Why not start with one of our long tussle tables for the birthday feast? Decorate the table with some of our branched candelabras, and don’t forget a throne for the birthday boy or girl.
We even have dishes you can use on the feast table including pewter plates, jugs, flagons, and goblets. Hang a background tapestry behind the table, and add some of our coffers or chests to the room for added detail. Use our wooden dresser with arched decorations to place your food dishes on, or the birthday gifts. And how about standing a suit of medieval armour by the door for when guests arrive?
To view these props and more, visit the main web page and click on the Themes tab. Then select the Medieval link. For assistance, or if you just want some help choosing what you want, feel free to get in touch. We’re happy to help you with your party ideas.
Tags: medieval props, Prop Hire, themed party ideas, themed props
Posted in Prop Hire | No Comments »
December 24th, 2011
Medieval fairs have become a commonplace sight across the country in recent years. Indeed, whether as a community fun day or a school fund-raising event, a medieval fair is a great event for people of all ages to enjoy and take part in. Because of this increasing popularity, many more people are looking to organise medieval fairs these days. So, if you like the idea of doing this, here are a few tips to get your own fair up and running:
First and foremost, you are going to need a good-sized open space such as a park or field to hold your event in. An area that is green, leafy and well away from any modern distractions is ideal.
Next, you will need to hire some marquees and stalls so that characters can perform their medieval activities and vendors can sell their wares.
Once your venue, marquees and stalls are taken care of, you will need to decorate your fair with medieval props. Having authentic looking prop items such as blacksmiths tools, wooden carts, and stocks (replete with willing ‘volunteers’) will soon help people to feel like they have stepped back in time. Additional period pieces such as thrones and medieval armour will also ensure curious attendees get to take part and get a feel for the action.
All of these wonderful props and many more besides can be hired from us here at Keeley Hire – the ‘volunteers’ however, will be down to you!
Tags: medieval props, Prop Hire, Props, themed events
Posted in Props | No Comments »
September 12th, 2011
If you are preparing to present your play to the masses, there’s one thing that needs to be at the top of the agenda: sets. You need to make sure your stage sets perfectly suit the play. A lot of that comes down to which props you use. Having access to suitable options is essential if you want to be happy with the results.
There are several factors you need to consider when considering stage props, with suitability and realism being two of the most important. Some will need to blend into the background, whilst others can become valuable additions to the performance in their own right. Choosing wisely will be essential if you want to give your audience the best production possible. However, finding the most suitable props can be difficult if you’re new to the arena, which is why you need to get in touch with the experts. Us.
We specialise in providing props for stage and screen which will serve as the perfect backdrop to your performance. We cater to all genres, so no matter what type of play it is, no matter its historical setting, we can accommodate. Our range includes everything from medieval armour to military movie guns. Our extensive catalogue means you’ll never need to look anywhere else, so to find the right stage props for you, simply take a look at our collection. You’ll soon be able to give the performance of a lifetime when the time comes.
Tags: authentic props, medieval props, Props, Stage Props
Posted in Stage Props | No Comments »
April 27th, 2011
Hosting a medieval fair is a fun way to bring together the community, raise money for a school or event, or exercise your talent for the dramatic. Here are some tips for setting the stage for a successful medieval fair.
First you are going to need a wide, open space, preferably a field or a park rather than a car park or other modern setting. This will make your fair feel more authentic.
Now you will need to hire some tents or stalls for vendors, activities, etc. You can hire circus tents, wedding tents, or anything else that you think will do the job, but that looks like it could belong in a medieval fair.
Now you need to look into prop hire. You should have some tables for people to sit at while eating. Why not use frame wood tables from Keeley Hire? People can share a bench and eat together, for a chance to talk and make new friends.
People you field with authentic looking medieval items like wood barrels, blacksmiths equipment, wood carts, and of course a pillory. You may also want some thrones if you intend to have a king and queen at your medieval fair. You can get all of these and more from Keeley Hire. Prop hire allows you to save time you would otherwise have spent making your own medieval props or trying to track down individual items. Instead, use this time to work on other aspects.
When your backdrop is ready, now all you need are people to run events and stalls, and people to enjoy the fair!
Tags: authentic props, medieval props, Prop Hire, prop hire company, Props
Posted in Prop Hire | No Comments »
November 14th, 2010
Although stage props are used mainly by film companies and theatres, many people use them when they are holding a themed party or other event. If you are planning to hold such an event, it’s important to make sure that it’s done right, otherwise you will end up with a half-hearted attempt which could be a disappointment for you and your guests.
There are an enormous range of themes to choose from. Once you have decided on one, you can then hire a range of props that will enhance the scene. For example, a medieval theme could require some stocks, drinks barrels, flagons or pewter jugs. If you really want to make it an exceptional event, you can even rent medieval furniture from a prop hire company.
One of the easiest themes to use is Christmas, because there are so many decorations available. However, you can go to a prop hire company and add a sleigh, snowman props, a manger or even an old fashioned red letter box so the children at the party can send letters to Father Christmas. Halloween can also be vamped up and given an extra scary atmosphere with a coffin, cauldron or gravestone props.
Stage props give that extra feel of authenticity to any themed event, and hiring them is far more cost effective than buying them. Think about it, how often are you going to use those coffins and sleighs? Unless you are planning to hold an annual party, a prop hire company is the best option.
Tags: christmas props, medieval props, Prop Hire, Stage Props
Posted in Prop Hire | No Comments »
March 25th, 2010
Next time you’re watching a television drama or a feature film, let your eyes stray to the background. Sadly, you will sometimes find what’s going on in the background more interesting than the actual story being told. There are two things in particular to look out for.
The first is the extras or, as they often prefer to be known, the BAs, or background artists. These lovely people turn out in all weathers, often at ridiculous times of the day or night, wear whatever outlandish costume the wardrobe department has for them and often sit around waiting for hours.
It is perhaps not surprising therefore that their concentration isn’t all it might be. Looking at them will often help you realise just how difficult it is to look natural on screen.
The other thing to look out for is the background detail. It is often taken for granted especially when watching a BBC costume drama, but the props and settings which the designers produce are often nothing short of works of art.
This is where we come into our own as at Keeley Hire we have been supplying prop hire to the film and television industries for more than forty years. In particular, we have some amazing period props which can evoke pretty well any period in history. We have a soft spot for the medieval props which are used to great effect in films like ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ and the Victorian ones used in TV series like ‘Little Dorritt’.
Tags: medieval props, Movie Props, Prop Hire, Props, Stage Props
Posted in Props | No Comments »
February 16th, 2010
In the theatre, it can be surprising how many diverse props are required. A lot of the variety is necessary because of historical plays, but there are other factors at work such as varied geographical settings as well.
At Keeley Hire, we have over half a million props. It is quite a task keeping tabs on all of them. When we started in the late 1830s, you can probably imagine that our office looked suitably Dickensian with clerks working at huge ledgers which listed the props, or properties as they were no doubt more formally referred to. Nowadays, transport is far easier and we are able to use the internet to show off a lot of the items. However, it is not really practical to list every single thing and we still rely on the expertise of our experienced staff to direct customers around our warehouse and help them find exactly the right props or theatre sets.
The latest additions to the inventory on our website demonstrate just how varied the props that people demand are. Some items are absolutely ordinary. For example, a wooden trestle table can probably be found in community centres and village halls up and down the country. The ones at the venue you have hired may look too modern for your setting though and that is why we can make sure you have exactly the right prop.
Some of our latest items such as iron chandeliers are far more specialised and will fit in with a whole range of medieval props and settings which we have. This includes instruments of torture and tradesmen’s tools.
Tags: medieval props, Prop Hire, Props, Theatre Sets
Posted in Props | No Comments »
January 4th, 2010
Medieval is anything relating to the Middle Ages, and the Middle Ages in Europe are broadly considered to cover the period 476 to 1453. That is from the end of the Roman Empire until the fall of Constantinople, if you are especially interested in history. More narrowly, the Middle Ages are said to cover the first half of the second millennium.
There was a time when films set in that period were particularly popular, thanks in no small part to the influence of Monty Python. Such settings for films may not be as popular now but most years there seem to be one or two blockbusters with a medieval feel and these, of course, need lots of appropriate props. Medieval events have also enjoyed something of a renaissance and again depend upon the right props to be convincing.
We at Keeley Hire supply all manner of medieval props. Naturally these include huge tables which can be used for feasts which will no doubt include a boar’s head stuffed with an apple at their centre. While we can’t provide the wolfhounds, horses and falcons, we can supply pretty much everything else. This includes a variety of stable equipment.
We even supply dungeon and torture equipment in case the food at your feast isn’t to the expected standard.
We list well over three thousand items on our website to give you an idea of the sort of props we can provide. However, these are but a fraction of our total stock of over half a million items.
Tags: medieval props, Movie Props, Prop Hire, Props
Posted in Props | No Comments »
|
