Sheffield: snooker set at the Crucible Theatre

Image: © Chris Downer Taken: 2 May 2014

The spectator's view of a scene beamed into millions of households across the globe for two weeks every April/May, the auditorium of the Crucible Theatre. Above the table, scoreboards and screens showing the BBC's live pictures are attached to the light rigging for the benefit of the audience (see Image] for a view including the screens facing us now). Now that we are down to the semi-finals, there is only one table; for earlier rounds there are two with a dividing wall which descends at the start of each session. The two double panes of glass either side of the central entrance are the commentary boxes, one for each table for the early rounds but, now, BBC take one and Eurosport the other. The similar box bottom-right is the press photographer's booth and it is from here that the pictures are taken which appear in the newspapers. New this year is the introduction of the BBC studio, left, which allows the pieces to be aired with the arena in the background. This was installed overnight as the set was changed to the one-table setup; previously it had been the photographers' booth for the other table and mirrored the remaining one.

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