Gates for place blocked from spectators (8)

I believe the answer is:

offstage

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

But I can't explain it at all! Could you help me understand?

(Other definitions for offstage that I've seen before include "Invisible to the audience" , "not visible from house" , "out of sight of house" , "From the wings of a theatre?" , "No longer acting" .)

I've seen this clue in The Hindu.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.