Tag Archive: Lighting hire London

1. White Light Supplies You Are Here at Southwark Playhouse

   3 June 2021 13:32 Leave a Comment

   

   Like many venues across the UK, the Southwark Playhouse recently reopened its doors to welcome a live-audience for the first time in months. The opening show was You Are Here, a brand-new musical set on the night of the moon landing. Featuring a lighting design by Alex Musgrave, he approached White Light to provide the lighting equipment. 

   Produced by Grey Area Theatre and starring Wendi Peters, You Are Here is set in Chicago and follows the story of Diana; a suburban housewife who leaves her comfortable life after seeing the moon-landing astronauts take their own giant leaps. By doing so, she enters a fast-changing world filled with unexpected encounters which make her realise just how exciting life can be. Lighting Designer Alex Musgrave comments: “My main brief for the show was to try and evoke the warm feeling of the late 60’s/ early 70’s American architecture whilst ensuring that Diana was always at the forefront of the narrative. I was also tasked with defining multiple different locations around the city of Chicago which Diana visits and my design had to make it clear to the audience where we physically were in the story”. 

   

   Although rehearsals took place in-person at the Southwark Playhouse’s rehearsal studio, the room capacity limit meant that Alex actually had to work entirely online. He explains: “For me, rehearsals were completely remote, either via Zoom or via videos of various sections of show. Working from the brief, I wanted to design a rig that was ultimately going to give me the greatest amount of flexibility possible. Knowing how many different locations within the story we were going to be visiting, I knew we would need a combination of moving lights and LED fixtures. The set design by Libby Todd is made up of two overlapping moons as the stage area, designed in the thrust configuration, along with a gorgeous wall that looks like every stone fireplace you would find in a 60/70’s era home”. 

   And while the production was going to be performed to a live audience, Alex and the team still had to adhere to the various restrictions in place. He explains: “One of the only major obstacles with this production was trying to mount a show whilst staying within the government guidelines. Singing to a live audience means the cast can’t be any closer than 3m. When you have audience on three sides, that immediately limits the stage area the cast can perform on. One of the many safety measures the Southwark Playhouse have in place are Perspex screens between each ticket booking, so the glare from these was something I had to consider when focusing the show. Similarly, like a lot of shows being made at the moment, there is also an option to live-stream the production so I had to take into account how the lighting would look on screen, as well as on stage”. 

   

   Knowing all of this, Alex reached out to WL’s Customer Service team to discuss the fixtures needed and the various options that were available. He explains: “After much discussion, I ended up using the ETC ColorSource profile range along with the JB Lighting – VaryLED A7 Zoom wash lights. The A7 Zooms had two uses. Some were allocated to provide backlight for the production and the others were placed in a front-of-house position and used in more of a follow-spot capacity. As such, they are able to track Diana throughout the entire show and are essentially in a different position for almost every single cue. They also zoom to a very nice half body size when I really needed to focus in on certain characters”.  

   He adds: “Because of the brief and the need for some distinction between things such as a lift and train carriages, I knew I needed a moving light with a framing system. I looked at various fixtures and decided to use the Robe DLS Profile fixture which was great as it fell below the weight limit for the rig at the Southwark Playhouse. The Robe DLS profile was placed fairly central as it was used for all of the specific moments which needed the framing system and also the times when I needed to add texture to a scene. In terms of the ColorSource Profiles, these were placed in a general pipe end position which gave me great flexibility and were able to be used as a full stage wash when needed”.     

   The show has now opened and will run until June 12^th.  

   Alex concludes: “It’s been great to be back working on a live show and we’re delighted with the response we’re received from audiences. I’d just like to say a big thank you to WL for their continued support throughout this production and look forward to working with them again in the future”. 

   Photos © Callum Heinrich

2. White Light Goes on Tour with Poet in da Corner

   26 February 2020 10:31 Leave a Comment

   

   White Light has supplied the lighting equipment for the UK tour of Poet in da Corner, following its critically-acclaimed run at the Royal Court Theatre.

   Poet in da Corner is a coming of age story inspired by Dizzee Rascal’s seminal album Boy in Da Corner. Written and performed by lyricist and poet Debris Stevenson, it originally ran at the Royal Court in 2018. This latest tour is a brand-new production, directed by Ola Ince and featuring a lighting design by Anna Watson. Anna comments: “Poet in da Corner is a really original and unique story told primarily through grime music. With this in mind, I always knew that the lighting would have to work hard in order to match the show’s epic, fast-paced soundtrack. I wanted my design to support the story and music as well as capture the grime rave aesthetic. I also had to work alongside the set design by Jacob Hughes which is a beautifully simple layout of yellow portals on truss along with a high shine floor with a revolve. As a creative team, we set ourselves one objective: to help create an unforgettable gig theatre vibe!”.

   With the creative team working so holistically, Anna ensured that she attended as many rehearsals as possible. She explains: “I always try to attend rehearsals but it was particularly important with this show as it really helped me get inside the music and be familiar with the choreography which really drives the piece. It also allows us to add extremely detailed cueing to the book whilst still in the rehearsal room, which ultimately helped ease our move into the theatre”.

   

   Knowing what equipment she needed for her design, Anna approached WL’s Hire team. In terms of her fixture choices, she explains: “Overhead, we had 9 metres of GLP Impression X4 Bar 20s and 9 x Martin MAC Aura XBs. The X4 Bars were the lighting stars of the show. This was my first opportunity to really test these units and they did not disappoint. Visible to the audience, we used them for a huge variety of effects and atmospheric lighting. With incredible programming from Stephen Settle, they filled or dissected the space with beautiful accuracy and detail. The Aura XBs also worked hard as moving beams through haze or acting as specials to light the performers. 

   She continues: “On the booms, we had ETC ColorSource PARs, ColorSource Profiles and PAR 64s, with birdies used as footlights. We used 30 x RGBW LED fluorescents upstage mainly behind a black BP screen, which gave them a slightly ghostly or projected feel as they chased along or flickered to beats of the music. These were only actually then revealed for one track which is set in a club but we ensured they were shown off in their full glory. We used old school asymmetric floods as audience blinders”.

   

   As the show was also visiting a range of venues across the UK, this is something that Anna had to factor into her design. She comments: “As the show is touring to a wide variety of venues (from medium size studios to Hackney Empire), couple with the tight turnaround time at each, we wanted to reduce the variables as much as possible, so made the decision to tour everything. Fortunately, with a great deal of support from WL and GLP, we were able to put together a rig that could feel big enough and flexible enough to support this bold, fast-paced and beautifully loud show. The overhead kit is rigged on three freestanding truss structures plus a metal frame at the front of the stage. The rig was always going to have to work hard and, with a fairly simple set, it was down to the lighting to capture the grime rave feel; something we feel we achieved”.

   Poet in da Corner opened at the Royal Court Theatre and is now embarking on its UK tour, visiting The MAC, Belfast later this week.

   Anna concludes: “As always, I was very well looked after by the Royal Court team, with huge support by Johnny Wilson and the lighting team. Also a big thanks to WL for once again supplying me with the fixtures I needed”.

   Photos courtesy of Helen Murray.

3. White Light Spends A Day in the Death of Joe Egg

   23 October 2019 10:22 Leave a Comment

   

   White Light has supplied the lighting for A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, which has recently opened at Trafalgar Studios in London’s West End.

   First performed in 1967, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg tells the moving and heart-warming story of a couple trying to keep their family together whilst raising their only daughter who has cerebral palsy. Directed by Simon Evans, this latest revival stars Toby Stephens and Claire Skinner and features a lighting design by Prema Mehta. Prema comments: “Having discussed the script with Simon, it became clear that my brief was to ensure the lighting design supported the naturalistic setting of the family home, with juxtaposed moments of characters directly addressing the audience. We knew these two visuals of naturalism verses direct address had to have a completely different feeling to help the characters tell their story and form a relationship with the audience, as well as show their relationship with each other”.

   

   Prema worked closely with the show’s designer Peter McKintosh who created a naturalistic set of a small Victorian room which required naturalistic interior lighting along with the outside winter light which developed throughout the piece. With the show being set at Christmas, this also had an influence on Prema’s design. She explains: “As the LED rimmed set revolved to reveal the home, the very notion of the movement made me want to capture the feeling of a child shaking a glitter snow dome and looking into someone else’s world. I was inspired by the shards of light and reflections from tinsel to Christmas baubles and wanted to achieve an abstract wallpaper-like stained glass effect to show light shards which supported the revolving moment of the set”.

   Once she’d decided on the look of her design, Prema approached WL to supply her with the equipment she needed. Prema explains: “Supporting the interior with practicals, naturalistic kitchen and hallway lights bleeding down the staircase all felt key to the set. Working a general cover to support the practicals was important, but I’ve really enjoyed using the GLP X4 Bars to offer flexibility in terms of colour and zoom which enabled me to utilise the rig to its full capacity. I opted for Martin MAC Viper Performances as our moving lights and ETC Source 4 LED Lustr+ which I found to have great intensity and colour mixing to provide both saturated and pastel tones”.

   

   A Day in the Death of Joe Egg marks Prema’s West End lighting debut along with the first time she’s worked at Trafalgar Studios. She explains: “The in-house crew at Trafalgar were brilliant throughout the process, taking a real interest and open to exploring new ideas during previews as we saw how audiences were responding. I’m also really proud that we utilised the limited wing space to ensure the production values remained high with a set that rotated 360° with trucks, lighting ladders, exits and entrances. We also worked through the logistics to enable full access to Storme Toolis who played Joe, showing how accessibility is something that can and should be implemented for those working in theatre”.

   The show has now opened and will run until 30^th November 2019.

   Prema concludes: “I’m really proud of this poignant and moving show and for being able to play a part in it. I had a brilliant team with me, including Stu Meech, Adam Killey, Will Burgher and Charlotte McAdam, as well as great support once again from WL”.

   Photos courtesy of Marc Brenner.

4. Steve Bartlett – 20 Years and Counting….

   3 October 2019 15:04 Leave a Comment

   

   Steve Bartlett from our Customer Service team recently celebrated twenty years at White Light. We sat down with him to talk about his time here, what his role entails and his excitement for the future.

   Steve is WL’s Corporate Hire Manager which means, in his words: “taking inquiries from lighting designers and production managers and interpreting their requirements in order to turn these into something we can provide. It mainly means helping them achieve their ideas whilst working within their budget and time constraints”.

   Steve’s role sees him work largely with event companies, production companies and trade hire clients within the corporate industry. He explains: “For me, my role is about creating and sustaining long-lasting working relationships. I’m very customer-focused and as such treat my customers in the way I’d like to be treated. Whether that’s complete transparency, producing a quote on the same day, or going that extra mile, I always try my hardest to deliver a service they won’t find anywhere else”.

   This year marked Steve’s 20^th anniversary at WL after first joining the company in 1999. He recalls: “Prior to working at WL, I actually used to be a WL customer, so I knew from first-hand experience how friendly and helpful the staff were, our core values were the same back then as they are now.  At the time, I was working for a company that focused mainly on supplying equipment for conferences and corporate events. After speaking to WL’s Hire Manager and hearing how the company was keen to move into these areas, it seemed like a natural step to join them”.

   

   Over the years, Steve has become an integral part of WL’s Customer Service team and works on a wide range of projects, from international conferences and high profile award ceremonies to music concerts and product launches. He explains: “Something I’m particularly proud of is our reputation within the industry. The fact that so many of our peer companies rely on us time and time again is a credit to all of the hard work put in by the whole team. I’m proud of the company and the customers we’ve worked with for so many years, and very much look forward to continuing these relationships”.

   As part of his role, Steve used to work closely with Roger Deane who recently retired. Following Roger’s departure, Steve took on the majority of his client base. He explains: “Whilst Roger is of course irreplaceable, it’s fantastic to now be looking after his clients, offering them the same level of service and attention to detail that he provided for such a long time. Similarly I’m finding myself taking on new clients from other areas of the business – things really don’t stand still for long here at WL, something else I relish about my role”.

   Working closely with Steve is Ciaran Crowley who has recently returned to WL as Customer Service Account Handler. Ciaran will assist Steve in helping deliver an eclectic range of projects and offer clients the high-standard of service they expect from WL. Steve concludes: “I’ve been here 20 years now and I can’t remember a more exciting or busy time. With the addition of Ciaran to our dedicated Customer Service team, we have a staff who are able to offer the traditional White Light values of friendly and customer service coupled with the very latest technology thanks to our policy of continual investment”.

5. White Light Sees REDD at the Barbican

   1 October 2019 09:54 Leave a Comment

   

   White Light has recently supplied the lighting equipment for REDD; a brand-new dance show at the Barbican Theatre.

   Devised by the Olivier Award-winning hip-hop partnership Boy Blue, REDD is a piece of dance surrounding the five stages of grief. Told through the movements of nine dancers, it offers an introspective journey into loss and examines how we are affected by those irreversible moments in our lives. It features a lighting design by Charlie Morgan Jones.

   Charlie comments: “REDD is a beautiful show which takes its audience on an unforgettable emotional journey. In terms of lighting, it’s an interesting piece as there is no actual set! With that in mind, my main brief was to create the five distinct ‘worlds’ of grief – the solitude of depression, the featureless denial, the sharpness of anger, the bold bargaining and the brightness and hope of acceptance”.

   

   This was the first time that Charlie had lit a dance piece, although he emphasises how he “approached this show as I would any other – although I do appreciate the importance of side light in dance pieces”.

   Creatively, the team decided that the lighting rig would be on display throughout the entire show, becoming an extra character in itself. As a result, Charlie had to draw on equipment that would be artistically appropriate as well as aesthetically attractive.

   Charlie contacted Jonathan Haynes at WL in order to draw on his perfect rig. He explains: “The bulk of the work on REDD was done with 48 Par Cans with long top hats. I absolutely loved playing with different intensities in order to create the five worlds. It always amazes me quite how different a Par at 60% looks in colour compared to a Par at 30% and I was able to use this variety to create the feel that the show needed.

   He continues: “I also draw on 10 ETC Lustrs to bring very occasional colour to the piece and 11 Vipers to highlight moments which demanded a crisper look”.

   

   Due to the nature of the piece, this meant that Charlie had to be very adaptable with his design. He explains: “The music and choreography were changing right up until press night due to the enormously creative process. As such, it meant that the LX team had to be completely on the ball – aided by the wonderful CSM, Carly Hook. Similarly, the entire show is run off time code (a new experience for me in a proscenium arch environment), so I spent a great deal of time working out the timings of each of the 400 light cues!”.

   REDD has now opened and will run until Saturday 5^th October.

   Charlie concludes: “This was my first experience of working with Boy Blue and at the Barbican and it was a brilliant process. The in-house lighting team were excellent and enormously helpful and supportive; as was my Associate Lighting Designer, Clancy Flynn. Similarly, the Hire team at WL were once again extremely helpful during the process and only ever a phone call away; support that’s invaluable for any designer”.

   Photos courtesy of Carl Fox.

6. White Light Supplies Mills & Reeve Banquet at Westminster Abbey

   25 June 2018 11:21 Leave a Comment

   Mills & Reeve is part of SCG Legal – a global network of independent law firms in 82 countries, of which Mills & Reeve are the only English member. Every year, SCG Legal organise the Midyear Meeting; a two day conference followed by a finale dinner which is held in a different member’s country. This is a once in a generation opportunity and, for 2018, it was London’s turn. The finale dinner took place at London’s Westminster Abbey and, as an approved supplier to the venue, White Light was approached to provide the technical support.

   The event was organised by Mills & Reeve’s Business Development Advisor Christine Joyce, who comments: “The purpose of the dinner is to celebrate the close of the yearly Midyear Meeting. There were 160 important guests attending the banquet and we wanted to impress these by incorporating a traditional ‘English style’. A couple of years ago, the final banquet was held in the Vatican in Rome with private tours of the Sistine Chapel. We wanted Westminster Abbey to be just as, if not more, special”.

   For Christine and the Mills & Reeve team, Westminster Abbey was their first choice location when hosting in the capital. She comments: “We didn’t actually know you could hold a corporate event at Westminster Abbey until we enquired. When we discovered the venue was available, we jumped at the chance – the history and instant recognition of a place such as this is something that was too good to miss. Knowing WL’s reputation for supplying events in some of London’s most historic venues, we immediately approached them to supply the dinner. We spent months planning and coordinating the event with WL’s Project Managers Emily Woolnough and Phil Gladman, fully confident that we had picked the best experts and professionals to work with”.

   Phil comments: “Our role was to supply audio and lighting support across the evening to ensure the guests had the most engaging experience possible. Our on-site crew were also there to support the entire eventand assist Christine and her team with any queries they had”.

   The invited guests arrived in the Chapter House for a drinks reception. They then went into the Abbey itself for a tour, during which time WL had to transform the Cloister space for the main dinner and alter the lighting spec of the room. WL also had to create panelling in order to discretely hide away the catering and AV crew who were manning the event.

   Phil comments: “With an event like this, it’s what you don’t see that’s just as important as what’s on show. The brief was to celebrate the magnificent surroundings of Westminster Abbey and ensure that these were the main focus – something which we did. We also supplied the PA system for the after dinner speeches”.

   Christine comments: “We were absolutely delighted with the success of this year’s finale dinner – something which WL were integral in helping to deliver. Their delivery of the project was seamless and played a major part in what was an exquisite finale. My sincere thanks goes to Emily, Phil and the entire team”.

   Photos courtesy of Amy O’Boyle.