Leading Light with…Rick Fisher – Part Two

The 1987 Royal Court Production of Serious Money; with more than a few recognisable faces.

It was in 1980 that Rick decided to move away from specific venues and go freelance. He  initially worked as part of the crew on rigging calls and lit shows with the small companies he’d previously worked at the Bush and Oval House. Whilst he was lighting his own shows, Rick was also asked to relight the work of others. He comments: “Relighting is a fantastic form of education for younger LDs. It really allows you to see what works and what doesn’t. It’s practical learning, on the job, and can often prove to be invaluable”.

Rick continued to freelance throughout London for a few years before he had what he terms as one of his lucky breaks. This was Serious Money by Caryl Churchill which premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in 1987. It then transferred to the Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End before opening on Broadway at the Royale Theatre the following year. Rick comments: “Serious Money was a fantastic show and one I was proud to work on. To see your work showcased on that scale was rather humbling”. That said, Rick also had a ‘lucky break’ that never was. He recalls: “While working at The Bush, there was a show on called Duet for One. Although I was billed as the Stage Manager on the show, I was actually also the lighting designer. When I found out it was transferring to the West End, they approached me to light it again. However, as lighting wasn’t something I was taking seriously at that time, I actually turned it down!”.

The original National Theatre production of An Inspector Calls.

Serious Money also meant serious progression for Rick’s career as he began to network and meet more and more people with more and more opportunities arising. One of these was in 1989 with An Inspector Calls. Rick recalls: “We initially worked on An Inspector Calls at the York Theatre Royal. I knew straight away from talking to Stephen Daldry (the director) and Ian MacNeil (the designer) that this was a special production; a complete re-imagining of a classic. After the run in York, we thought that was the end of it”. Yet it was only the beginning. The next year, Stephen was offered to direct a play at the National  Theatre and whilst they weren’t a fan of his initial proposals, they were more receptive to An Inspector Calls. It would go on to become one of the theatre’s most successful productions. Rick states: “We were completely taken aback by the fantastic response the show received. It played in the Lyttelton and then the Olivier Theatre and sold out. It then went into the West End where it transferred to the Aldwych Theatre in 1993 before touring the UK  and heading into the Garrick in 1995”. Since then, the show has constantly made reappearances in both the West End and theatres across the country. It has also toured Australia, the USA and ran on Broadway, where Rick received a Tony Award for his efforts. Rick adds: “It’s one of those special shows that will simply live forever. I think it resonates with a lot of people and I’m very pleased with the lighting in it. It’s visually quite extraordinary and I had to work hard to achieve that particular look”.

Swan Lake at the Piccadilly Theatre in 1996. This marked the first-ever ballet show that Rick lit.

Following the phenomenal success of An Inspector Calls, Rick found himself regularly working on some of the biggest shows in the West End. These included Jerry Springer the Opera, Sunny Afternoon, The Audience, Blue/Orange and Chariots of Fire. Rick also provided the lighting for Matthew Bourne’s classic Swan Lake – a show which he claims has “stood the test of time”. He claims: “Before Swan Lake, I’d only really lit theatre and some contemporary dance so this was my first ballet. However, it was such a breath-taking show and one where I really got to experiment with lighting; in particular shadows, which is something I still try to play with wherever I can”.

In 2005, Rick reunited with Stephen Daldry once again on what is arguably his most renowned show: Billy Elliot the Musical. Based upon the hit 2001 film, the musical adaptation had songs by Elton John and opened at London’s Victoria Palace Theatre. After winning five Olivier Awards, the show then transferred to Broadway where it won an unprecedented ten Tony Awards, including one for Best Lighting Design. It has since toured America and received productions in Toronto, Seoul and Australia! Safe to say, it’s a show that Rick is particularly proud of. He comments: “Often when you see a film on stage, it can be a retread of what’s gone before. Billy was different. Having that musical aspect and seeing the show performed live before you added something to the story. It took you there”. That said, there were some issues during pre-production. Rick recalls: “We were workshopping a lot and trying many different things. We were introducing new scenes, swapping around the various Billys – all because the musical was so ambitious! That said, the first time it hit an audience, we realised what a special show we had. It was a magical moment and, thankfully, it’s had the same resonance ever since”.

Billy Elliot – which ran in the West End for 10 years.

So why has Billy been such a huge success? Rick has his own opinion: “It’s a great story. It’s as simple as that. When I was lighting the show, it didn’t look like a musical and there were no flashy dance numbers or excessive lights just for the sake of it. It looked how I wanted it to which helped serve the story in the best way possible”.

While Rick has worked on a variety of shows during his extremely successful career, his approach to a piece remains consistent every time. He proclaims: “Whenever I light a show, I always imagine myself ‘fighting the stage’ as it were. What a lot of people don’t realise is that lighting takes up a lot of space and a huge part of my role is looking at how to get light in at the right time in the right place. My main aim is to create an atmosphere within a show”.

We’ve chatted for two hours now and Rick desperately needs to get back to An Inspector Calls which is opening later that week. Before he disappears, I ask him what I’ve asked every lighting designer who’s taken part in Leading Light so far: what advice does he have for the next generation of lighting designers? He has a simple answer: “See as much as you can, meet as many people as possible and talk to them. Despite what people may think, this isn’t a technical business. It’s a people business. You have to be a people person and make sure that others want to work with you on projects. At the end of the day, this industry is about collaboration and you need to embrace working with other artists”.

And as Rick embarks on yet another production of An Inspector Calls, it is no mystery as to why he remains at the top of his profession…

Read other Leading Light interviews:
Nick Richings
Hugh Vanstone
Neil Austin
Natasha Chivers