Tag Archive: lighting hire

1. White Light is Simply the Best for TINA – The Tina Turner Musical

   10 July 2018 09:03 Leave a Comment

   

   One of the best-selling artists of all time, Tina Turner’s fascinating life story has now been turned into a stage show with TINA – The Tina Turner Musical. Written by Olivier Award-winning playwright Katori Hall, the show charts Tina’s humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennesee to her transformation into the global Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll. The show is playing at the Aldwych Theatre in London’s West End and as a leading lighting supplier to some of the biggest shows in the country, White Light was called upon to provide the lighting equipment.

   

   TINA – The Tina Turner Musical is directed by the internationally-acclaimed Phyllida Lloyd and features a lighting design by Bruno Poet. Bruno comments: “My brief for the show was to help tell this extraordinary story and make the performers come alive within Mark Thompson’s elegant design. The set frames the actors beautifully and is very stripped back, with the focus being on the characters’ emotional journeys. There are also around 40 scenes in different locations, and the lighting needs to support that sense of time and place. Added to this were several concert scenes so I had to create a design that matched this energy”.

   To achieve this, Bruno approached WL in order to draw on his ideal rig. He explains: “It was a combination of experimenting with new units that I felt might be useful in combination with tried and tested favourites. I was really keen to move away from discharge light sources and more towards the latest LED fixtures. I also needed a really flexible rig that could offer a full-on concert experience at the end of the show, but also work with the more nuanced, delicate scenes.  I was also determined to have a very quiet rig. Even a musical has quiet moments and hearing fan noise is a personal pet hate of mine!”.

   The equipment Bruno drew on included the MAC Encore Performance CLD, the VL550, the MAC Aura XB, GLP X4 Battens and the ETC Source 4 Lustr 2s. He explains: “With the MAC Encore CLD, this is the first LED source I’ve found that gives the cold discharge look of something like a MAC Viper but can also do a convincing tungsten warm. With the Auras, these have great zoom range, brilliant colours and can be used for punchy, beamy looks. The set design cried out for curtains of light and the GLP X4 Battens allowed me to achieve this, while taking up virtually no space on the grid.  I also drew on Portman P2s for the big concert finale, along with Clay Paky Sharpys. The desk I drew on was an EOS which I often use for theatre productions”.

   The decision as to what type of lighting equipment should be used was much discussed in the show’s pre-production stages. Bruno explains: “As the musical spans several decades, we did contemplate using equipment and styles that would be accurate from certain points along that timeline. However, looking at this in detail, we realised that this could be very dull for a modern audience! That said, I did make myself some ground rules. For instance, you don’t see moving lights move until we get to the late 1980s”.

   TINA – The Tina Turner Musical has now opened to critical acclaim and has already been extended to February 2019. Bruno comments: “This was a fantastic production to be a part of. I was supported by an amazing team which included Max Narula as Associate, Warren Letton as Programmer and Sam Floyd as Production Electrician. I really enjoyed collaborating with Jeff Sugg, the Video and Projection Designer, as this was one of those shows where lights and projection worked as one. Similarly, I was surrounded by a brilliant stage management team, especially Sarah Seymour our DSM whose calling of the finale is poetic and a masterclass in timing”.

   Photos courtesy of Manuel Harlan.

2. 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.

3. White Light is Down and Out at the Orwell Foundation

   20 June 2018 09:57 Leave a Comment

   On 6^th June, George Orwell’s classic book Down and Out in Paris and London was brought to life in an immersive performance at Stone Nest in London’s West End. The event was a collaboration between The Orwell Foundation, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Libby Brodie Productions and UCL’s Festival of Culture. Having supplied last year’s unabridged reading of Orwell’s 1984: LIVE, White Light was called upon to provide the complete technical solutions on this occasion.

   Down and Out: LIVE was supported by Arts Council England and featured a lighting and projection design by Robbie Butler, who also designed 1984: LIVE. Robbie comments: “The brief for the show was focused heavily on the video design. I worked closely with the brilliant director Hannah Price who spoke to me about her thoughts on the type of projection she wanted to see, along with other concepts she wanted to experiment with throughout the five hour-long script”.

   Whereas 1984: LIVE was a reading of Orwell’s novel from start to finish, Down and Out: LIVE offered a slightly different interpretation. Robbie explains: “Whilst the project was constructed around extracts from Down and Out, these were interspersed with poetry and testimonies from people who are currently homeless; with the text still being extremely relevant in today’s society. Because it’s a marathon of an event, it’s quite difficult to plan intricately given the short lead-in period (we had a week of rehearsals for a five hour show). I had to devote most of my preparatory time making and rendering the video content. Additionally, because much of the action was improvised or potentially needed to be altered as a result of the immersive audience layout, the lighting rig had to be versatile; resulting in the show being busked from a bank of pre-defined presets”.

   Robbie approached WL to supply him with his perfect rig. He comments: “Versatility was key. I had two generic Source Fours for the readers and four Lustr 2s to act as a general wash in the centre of the room and cover the two platforms at either end. I used wireless uplighters to accentuate the building’s architecture and four JB A5s to help highlight certain areas of the playing space as needed. And, of course, there was also a Unique Hazer there for good measure – along with some festoons!”.

   WL also supplied the rigging, headsets, speakers, projection and sound desk. All of the equipment was delivered to Stone Nest the day prior to the event and was set-up on-site on the morning of performance.

   Robbie adds: “Stone Nest is an incredible venue. A former chapel, the interior features beautiful red brick walls and concrete gothic arches and windows. Architecturally, it’s a dream to light because it just looks like a really well built set. What isn’t ideal is that we had quite a large amount of light leakage on what turned out to be a sunny performance day. However, as a found space, you could really do some interesting things with it and it was great to work on a show there”.

   The event was completely free to attend and live-streamed to a global audience, whilst also being screened in libraries across the UK.

   Robbie concludes: “As always, WL were on top form and proved to be absolutely invaluable in getting this event off the ground. Their support really is second to none”.

   Photos courtesy of Robin Boot Photography.

4. White Light Goes into the Cockpit with Sankara

   18 June 2018 12:57 Leave a Comment

   Sankara is a new play telling the story of African hero and former President of Burkina Faso Thomas Sankara. Written and directed by Ricky Dujany, it recently ran at London’s Cockpit Theatre and featured a live music performance by Levi Roots. As a leading lighting supplier to London theatre, White Light was called upon to provide the equipment.

   The Lighting and Set Designer for the show was Salomé Bazin. She comments: “Sankara is a very powerful play and paints an ambiguous portrait of a revolutionary leader and his complicated relationship with Africa and the rest of the world. I was involved in the very early stages of the creative process with Ricky. We had several conversations about the epic story we were telling and wanted to find the most appropriate way in which to do this. By having the play in the round, we were able to create a much more intimate feel for both the audience and actors. Similarly, as the play is almost told in a documentary-style, we wanted to use a range of mixed medias which included video projection, a specific use of lights as well as a minimal set”.

   To achieve this, Salomé approached the Hire Team at WL. She explains: “I wanted to recreate an immersive and quite naturalistic look, taking inspiration from my travels in West Africa. As a result, I decided to go for a bare stage with sand on the floor, with only a couple of props, and use light as the most important scenic element. The biggest challenge was to create an all-round projection which I managed to achieve by hanging vertical cycloramas in three points around the stage: two of them being an entrance for the actors. This created a strong parallel between the words of the actors and the real footage.

   She continues: “Regarding the lighting equipment, I decided to use a mix of traditional equipment such as par cans and fresnels for environmental and face lighting, as well as LED sources to give control of the environment colour. I then chose the SGM P5 for the quality of colour mixing and compactness. It was important to have versatile equipment, and the P5 proved to be a great tool to change the mood. Additional profiles and Source Fours were selected for effects in particular scenes whereas the use of strobes and smoke added a particularly dramatic tone”.

   The fact that the play was in the round meant that Salomé had to configure her design accordingly. She comments: “Lighting in the round is challenging, especially with a dynamic play such as this which is rich with movement and effects. In addition, I had to ensure that the actors were well lit throughout whilst sustaining the dramatic urgency. That said, I decided to use this intimacy to my advantage and actually drew on the house lights for one scene in which Sankara delivers a heartfelt monologue”.

   The show ran earlier this year to critical acclaim and is likely to return later in 2018.

   Salomé comments: “This is a very special show and it was fantastic to be able to play a part in it. I am also very grateful to Simon Arnold and the rest of the WL team for their support throughout”.

   Photos courtesy of Cristina CriS.

5. White Light Works Its Magic on Derren Brown: Underground

   12 June 2018 09:49 Leave a Comment

   

   

   Derren Brown, the multi-award winning master of mind control and psychological illusion, wowed audiences in London last year with his mesmerising show Underground. The show originally ran at the Charing Cross Theatre and then the Playhouse Theatre in the West End. The show has recently returned for a nationwide tour of the UK and Ireland. Having supplied the original London production, White Light was called upon to provide the lighting for this latest tour.

   Derren Brown: Underground is directed by Andrew O’Connor and Andy Nyman and features a lighting design by Charlie Morgan Jones. Charlie comments: “When I was first approached to light Underground, we talked a lot about bold looks. I’m a huge fan of the Great British Backlight so was determined to throw in some epic scenes from the up stage position. The Set Designer Will Bowen had created some beautiful Victorian drapes which I wanted to light in different colours; dependent on the various sections of the show. It was also really important to maintain the focus on Derren so I was conscious of drawing on kit that was able to close in on different sections of the stage with precision and subtly. I was also keen to light it very theatrically, giving the performance an extra texture”.

   To achieve this look, Charlie approached WL to supply him with his ideal rig. He explains: “For the show, I’ve drawn on a range of Martin MAC Auras, which are great units because of their size. A lot of the stages on tour are fairly shallow and the LX bars needed to fly in fairly low without seeing any noses. The show also uses ETC ColourSource Sports and a plethora of ETC Source Four Minis”.

   Whereas a lot of West End shows have to significantly change when embarking on a tour, this wasn’t the case for Derren Brown: Underground. Charlie explains: “The West End version of the show was actually the largest revamp that Underground when through in terms of lighting. We kept the Martin MAC Auras from the previous UK tour but added in ETC ColourSource Spots along with some clam shell footlights. We’ve then gone on to keep all of this for the 2018 tour, which means that audiences across the UK are seeing a carbon copy of the West End version”.

   That said, as with any touring production visiting different venues on a weekly basis, Charlie had to adapt his design slightly for each theatre. He explains: “The main thing that’s different in every venue is the followspots and their operators. They have such an important job as they provide all of Derrren’s key lighting. That said, we’ve been very lucky on the tour as we’ve only encountered really great people”.

   The show opened in Liverpool back in April and has visited Eastbourne, Hull, Nottingham, Cardiff and Dublin to name but a few. It is currently in Bournemouth at the Pavilion Theatre.

   Charlie concludes: “I’ve loved every minute of working on Derren Brown: Underground. It’s not only a fantastic show but I’m surrounded by a brilliant team including Paul Walmsley, my amazing Programmer, and Andy Murrell, the Chief LX and Touring Relighter. Without them the show wouldn’t happen. I also want to thank the WL team for their support on every stage of this production”.

   Photos courtesy of Mark Douet.

6. White Light Returns to Jermyn Street Theatre Tonight at 8:30

   21 May 2018 10:50 Leave a Comment

   Located in London’s West End, the Jermyn Street Theatre is one of the capital’s most renowned studio theatres. It was recently re-launched under new Artistic Director Tom Littler as a full-scale producing theatre, creating around eight to ten in-house productions every year. One of these is Tonight at 8:30 by Noel Coward. The Lighting Designer was Tim Mascall who called upon White Light to supply the lighting equipment.

   Tonight at 8:30 by Noel Coward is a series of one act plays; nine of which were staged at the Jermyn Street Theatre, broken into three separate trilogies running in rep. Tim explains: “It’s a really interesting production as one night you’ll see three of the nine and another you could see a different three. At weekends, the theatre stages all nine plays each Saturday and Sunday so you could spend an entire day watching them all! The theatre also commissioned a fourth trilogy of plays entitled Tomorrow at Noon which were responses to the Coward pieces and played each Monday and Tuesday of the run”.

   Tim was brought on board by Artistic Director Tom Litter who directed all of the plays, with Stella Powell directing the Tomorrow at Noon pieces. Tim comments: “One of the biggest elements of my brief was to create a rig flexible enough to cover 12 different plays with as minimal turn around time as possible in between each. The structure of each evening is that between the first and second piece there is a ‘pause’ of around 5 minutes in which the audience remain in their seats whilst the set is turned around and then the second turn around happens during the interval. This was all achieved with some meticulous planing and scene change choreography from Set Designer Louie Whitemore and Associate Director Gabby Bird”.

   Tim approached WL to provide him with his desired list of fixtures. He explains: “The main obstacle was the logistics of trying to mount 12 different plays in one venue with extremely limited space, both in terms of storage and a complete lack of any wings! There is no getting away from the fact that Jermyn Street Theatre is a small studio space, with the grid being just under 4m! The lighting infrastructure of the theatre has remained largely the same for more than 10 years and so we needed to install additional DMX and power distribution to utilise the LED based fixtures. The MAC Auras in particular offered me some much needed flexibility in terms of being able to quickly respond to changes in the blocking once we were in tech whereas the LED fresnels gave me a far greater colour pallet than what would have otherwise been available”.

   The show has recently finished its run following critical acclaim.  It marks one of several productions that WL is currently supplying across London including West End smashes such as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child(LD – Neil Austin), Tina Turner – The Musical (LD – Bruno Poet), Consent(LD – Rick Fisher) along with Describe the Night at Hampstead Theatre (LD – Johanna Town), Mayfly at the Orange Tree Theatre (LD – Christopher Nairne), Fatherland at Lyric Hammersmith (LD – Jon Clark) and Why is the Sky Blue at the Southwark Playhouse (LD – Elliot Griggs).

   Tim concludes: “It was thanks to the commitment and skill of the creative and production teams together with the sheer ambition of the theatre – backed up by genuine support from the management – that this ambitious project was possible. Louie Whitemore’s design often gets a round of applause during the visible turnarounds as various elements are revealed. Tom Attwood (Sound Design) and Emily Stuart (Costume Design) were, as they always are, both amazing to work with”.

   Photos courtesy of Robert Workman.

7. White Light Adds W-DMX™ F-1 G5 to its Hire Inventory

   17 May 2018 10:49 Leave a Comment

   Wireless Solution Sweden is the world’s leading manufacturer of the most popular, reliable and exciting Wireless DMX control equipment: W-DMX™. The latest product in this revolutionary line is the BlackBox F-1 G5 which WL has now added to its hire equipment inventory.

   The W-DMX™ BlackBox F-1 G5 transceiver is a single link, highly flexible wireless solution. The unit supports, transmits and receives modes of both DMX and RDM signals, for both 2.4GHz, 5.2GHz or 5.8GHz frequency bands, and offers up to 2 universes per link.

   W-DMX’s International Business Development Manager David Ferraz comments: “G5 is a ground breaking generation of Wireless DMX that includes tri-band transmission. Due to the increasing wireless traffic in urban centres and large-scale venues, the G5 series have been created as having three separate frequencies. Wireless Solution is the only manufacturer of Wireless DMX to offer three different frequencies to transmit in. By having all three frequencies, this means that users will never receive interference from other devices”.

   The versatility and advance features of the F-1 G5 means it can be utilised on a range of projects. David explains: “W-DMX™ is known for being the de-facto standard technology on mission-critical events like Eurovision contests, Opening Ceremonies like the Commonwealth Games or the Baku European Games, Worldcups, Superbowl, and many other stadium-based events. It’s also the primary choice for the Opera House in London, and many West End plays”.

   Alongside this, W-DMX™ can also be used on smaller scale corporate events due to the OEM partnership it has with manufacturers like Clay Paky, Chauvet, CORE Lighting, among many others.

   David comments: “Whilst the F-1 is a revolutionary piece of equipment, all of our new produces are backward compatible down to G3, which was released in 2007. It makes the product extremely versatile, not to mention resourceful”.

   WL’s Technical Director Dave Isherwood adds: “The acquisition of the F-1 G5 marks another example of WL strengthening our already extensive hire inventory; building on the success and reliability we have enjoyed with past products from Wireless Solutions and giving our customers as many options as possible”.

8. White Light Offers Big Support for Little Women

   3 May 2018 10:14 Leave a Comment

   Following a successful 2017 season, the Musical Theatre Performance Company at the University of Chichester recently presented Little Women. The production took place on April 19-21 at The Alexandra Theatre in Bognor Regis. The Lighting Designer was WhatsOnStage Award-nominated Jack Weir and he approached White Light to supply the lighting equipment.

   Based on Louisa May Alcott’s life, Little Women follows the adventures of sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March. When it was first performed on Broadway it achieved critical acclaim and is often revived across the globe. Jack explains: “I’d never seen the show before but had heard great things. I also knew a lot of the numbers such as Astonishing so I was familiar with it somewhat”.

   Whilst the production was for the University of Chichester’s Musical Theatre Performance Company, a large part of Jack’s brief was ensuring that the show felt like a professional production. He comments: “For a lot of these students, this may be the last performance they have before entering the real world and becoming professional actors. Therefore the standards need to be just as high as they would on any professional production; something that was at the forefront of my design and the equipment I drew on”.

   Jack approached WL to supply him with the equipment he needed. This included the Martin Professional MAC Viper, the MAC TW1, the MAC 700 Wash and the SGM P5 LED Wash Light.

   Jack explains: “The SGMs are fantastically bright and a unit I’ve drawn on before. Due to their brightness, we only needed eight units to light the cyc top and bottom; which resulted in a lovely effect. The main purpose for drawing on the MAC Viper was to shoot through a hanging window. The window was the main focal point of Amy Watts’ brilliant set and, as a result, was a point in which very bright yet controllable lighting was required”.

   This marks another student production that WL has supplied, having provided the equipment on other university shows across the country. It’s also another show of Jack’s that WL has supported,  having also supplied the UK tour of Out of Order along with Rothschild & Sons which ran at the Park Theatre earlier this year.

   Jack comments: “I am extremely grateful to WL once again for their support on Little Women. They worked within my budgets, the constraints I was faced and ultimately delivered a package from which I was able to achieve my design. The final result was a fantastic show which offered the perfect platform for the students to experience the taste of a professional production”.

   Photos courtesy of Andrew Worsfold.

   For more photos, please click here: https://weirdlighting.pixieset.com/littlewomen/

9. Leading Light with…Charlie Morgan Jones – Part 2

   5 April 2018 10:33 Comments Off on Leading Light with…Charlie Morgan Jones – Part 2

   

   3am at Leicester CURVE was Charlie’s first professional production after graduating.

   Charlie graduated and was left to find his own way in the big wide world. It was here where his work at the Vaudeville would prove useful: “I emailed every single producer I knew, along with all the DSMs I’d worked with from my time at the Vaudeville. They were hugely supportive and told me who to get in touch with. It was in those early stages that I’d take unpaid leave to go and work on shows on the London fringe. It was a case of slowly, but surely, getting my name out there”.

   Charlie’s first show out of university was 3am for the Curve Young Company at Leicester’s CURVE Theatre. He recalls:  “I was put forward by Rachel Nicholson who was the Head of Creative Lighting Control and was immensely lucky to go straight into a show like that. I really felt like a ‘professional lighting designer’ as I had a programmer and stage management team”. Charlie would the continue to work wherever he could. He recalls: “I did a show at the Edinburgh Fringe called Jump which was a brilliant experience. I also lit a show at The Met in Bury and remember just jumping on a train, heading up to Manchester and saying ‘I’m here to light your show’. At that age, you just turn up and hope for the best. Then again, you need to have that go-getter attitude as people are only willing to employ those with experience and that was something I needed”.

   It wouldn’t be long until Charlie got what he considers to be his first ‘big break’: “I worked on Dialogues des Carmelites at the Birmingham Conservatoire and the Director was Michael Barry.  I was at his house for dinner and he showed me a prop from the Ring Cycle which he recently directed. As I knew very little about him, I presumed it was something he’d worked on at the Birmingham Local Opera. Fortunately I didn’t say anything out loud as Michael quickly informed me that it was a show he’d worked on at the Royal Opera House! A quick Google under the table and I realised he was quite a big name! We got on like a house on fire and Michael recommended me for various jobs including the Polish National Opera”. It was also at the Conservatoire where Charlie met Jack Ramplin who Charlie has used on lots of shows as his Associate. Charlie comments: “Michael foresaw a long creative relationship between Jack and I – he wasn’t wrong!”.

   Charlie’s second ‘big break’ was to come shortly after at the Duchess Theatre in London’s West End. He recalls: “I was asked to light Cool Rider, which is the sequel to Grease. It was an all-singing, all-dancing musical with so much happening all the time – the first number had 80 lighting cues! For this show, I worked with an Associate called George Smith who was fantastic to bat ideas around with. It really changed my way of working and brought out the best in my lighting”. Shortly after this, Charlie and George formed Smith+Jones LX. Charlie comments: “We became friends but he sadly (for me) lives out in Macau now for work. That said, we’re still as close as ever, and I always visit him when I go to the Far East for work”.

   

                                                  Charlie lit Cool Rider at the Duchess Theatre in London’s West End.

   The third break of Charlie’s was Avenue Q; the puppeted musical which is also one of Broadway’s longest running musicals. Charlie recalls: “I had worked with production company Selladoor Productions in their early days and remember touring Ibsen’s Ghost in the back of a van. They asked me back to light Avenue Q which was doing a three week run in Greenwich in April 2014. The run sold really well and got a lot of people talking – so much so that it turned into a six month tour. It then returned for a second tour in 2015, a third tour in 2016 and it’s recently been announced that it’s coming back next year. It was one of those shows that just ‘became a thing’ – when I told people I was lighting it, they were really impressed. It also got me an agent and opened so many doors for me as people were now able to see my work”.

   

                        Little Shop of Horrors is a personal highlight for Charlie.

   Whereas these are Charlie’s ‘big breaks’, I ask him if any other shows that standout. Safe to say, he has a fair few: “Little Shop of Horrors definitely sticks in the mind. Everything on this production just felt ‘right’ and all the creatives just clicked. We wanted the show to be zany, cartoony and over the top; similar to the feel of the film. I remember being sat in tech thinking this should be spectacular and it was. It was great to be a part of and the highlight was when it visited the New Theatre in Cardiff where I used to see shows as a kid. It was at that point when I was confident in telling people that I was a lighting designer”.

   Other shows include Derren Brown: Underground which Charlie describes as  “incredibly bizarre as it was a huge name and another show that everyone knows and recognises. It’s also amazing that it’s going to the Wales Millennium Centre which is where it all started in a sense – I can’t wait for mum and dad to see it!”. The Polish National Opera is another highlight of Charlie’s. He recalls: “I was the only non-Polish speaker so it was the case of being thrown in at the deep end. That said, I spent a lot of summers in Poland as a child and can understand the basics so was able to communicate with Mariusz the director”.

   

                     Macbeth at Theatre Severn was lit by Charlie.

   Charlie has managed to achieve a lot in a short time and, while it’s largely down to a hard-working ethos, he has been lucky enough to have the support and influence of some lighting legends. He comments: “As part of my drama course at college, we went to see the National Theatre’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle which Paule Constable had lit (you can read her Leading Light here). I actually phoned my dad during the interval saying how amazing I thought the lighting was; it was a character within itself. Almost without realising, Paule had become an influence. Flash forward a few years and I was back at the Millennium Centre working in between uni terms. It was 2010 and I was followspotting on the new Les Misérables which Paule had lit. When I was back in Wales, I went over to the production desk and said hello and she was just the most approachable and friendly person. We went out for lunch and she told me everything I needed to know about lighting. Another person who’s been a huge help is Rick Fisher (you can read his Leading Light here). During my second year at Bruford, he gave a talk and was kind enough to give me his email address. I emailed him that night (very eager!) asking if I could come and work with him on a show. He was lighting The Fantasticks at the Duchess Theatre and I sat behind Rick and the programmer and learned so much. I even got credited in the programme as Assistant to the Lighting Designer! Ultimately, both Paule and Rick are incredibly talented and equally kind individuals and I also show the same level of support to anyone who approaches me for advice”.

   Listening to Charlie talk about his journey and career, it’s easy to forget that he is still extremely young (not even 30). So what aims does he have for the future? He answers: “When I was 14/15, my main aim was to solely light West End shows. I’ve now had eight productions in the West End so my goals have changed slightly (as they should). I would like to light more dance and would definitely like to work at the English National Opera. I think it’s important to remember that the role of lighting designers is changing also. It’s no longer just theatre. For instance, last year I was asked to light the rainforest at the Eden Project – something I never thought I’d do. Ultimately, I want to continue my existing relationships with current designers, directors and production companies as well as push myself as a designer”.

   If the last few years are anything to go by, it’s safe to say that Charlie will continue pushing himself and cement his reputation as one of the most exciting lighting designers this country has to offer.

   Photos courtesy of Graeme Braidwood, Hywel Jones, Matt Martin, Pamela Raith, Rose Bruford College and Sven Worrow.

10. Congrats to the Tonic Award Winners

    20 March 2018 09:40 Comments Off on Congrats to the Tonic Award Winners

    Tonic Theatre was created in 2011 to encourage the theatre industry to achieve greater gender equality in both its workforces and repertoires. It partners with leading theatre companies and venues across the UK to work on a range of projects, schemes and creative works. Every year it hosts the Tonic Awards which celebrate the achievements of women in theatre. The 2018 Awards took place last night at the Mayfair Hotel and White Light was once again one of the main sponsors.

    The Tonic Awards were attended by some of the most prominent names in the theatre industry and presenters included Vicky Featherstone, Kwame Kwei Armah and Maxine Peake. Lucy Kerbel, Director of Tonic Theatre, comments: “The Awards are a great opportunity to bring people together, creating new partnerships and sharing ideas. This last year has shown that a shared voice can make profound change, and the atmosphere of community here tonight reflects that”.

    WL’s Managing Director Bryan Ryan adds: “Tonic Theatre is a superb organisation that’s striving for much needed change within the world of theatre and has already achieved so much in the past seven years alone. Recently, the issue of gender equality has become a prominent one in theatre and organisations such as Tonic have been at the forefront of making this discussion happen”.

    The range of winners on the evening included:

    Emma de Souza, for her tireless commitment to bringing new audiences into London’s West End through Kids Week, which offers families the opportunity to experience theatre together at an affordable price.

    Clean Break Theatre Company, for forty years of work on the theme of women and the criminal justice system, giving opportunities to generation after generation of female creatives, and giving voice to women whose experiences are all too often silenced by society.

    Waking the Feminists, for a brave and creative campaign to effect positive change in regards to the representation of women in Irish theatre.

    The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, for the consistency with which the theatre has programmed and foregrounded work about women, and within that, the diversity of women’s experiences.

    Steffi Holtz and Gina Abolins, for their brave decision to speak up about inappropriate behaviour in their workplace, in spite of potential personal and professional repercussions, giving voice to the often unseen and unheard experiences of those working behind the scenes and in less high profile positions.

    Kully Thiarai, for her achievements and ethos as an artistic director. In particular, her dedication and energy to creating theatre and artistic experiences for the communities around which the organisation she has led are based.

    

                                                                The winners on the evening

    
    Lyn Gardner, for her dedication to showcasing new voices and productions as a theatre critic and her thoughtful contributions to debate within the theatre industry as a journalist.

    Caryl Churchill, for an extraordinary career, in particular her consistent daring to defy form, leading the way for a new generation of female playwrights, breaking down walls within the theatre industry.

    Katie Mitchell, for her game-changing artistic work, proactive support of younger female theatre artists, and dedication to foregrounding feminism on stage.

    Following the ceremony, Sita McIntosh, chair of Tonic’s Board of Trustees, said: “Tonight has been about celebrating the success stories, and this brilliant group of women have achieved extraordinary things, leading the way for a new generation”.

    Bryan adds: “We are always keen to celebrate the achievements of those working in our industry; whether it’s our sponsorship of the Tonic Awards, WhatsOnStage, OffWestEnd or the National Skills Annual Conference. It’s important that we reflect on the brilliant achievements made by certain groups/individuals and that we continue to push for a fairer industry for all”.