Tag Archive: lighting hire

1. White Light Goes to the Desert with Priscilla at ArtsEd

   14 February 2018 12:23 Comments Off on White Light Goes to the Desert with Priscilla at ArtsEd

   As part of its Third Year BA Musical Theatre Students Showcase, ArtsEd recently produced a brand-new production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Taking place in the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Theatre, the show tells the story of drag queens Tick and Adam, and trans woman, Bernadette, as they embark on a road trip through the Australian outback. The show was lit by Nic Farman and White Light provided the lighting equipment.

   Priscilla Queen of the Desert is based on the 1994 film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and won an Olivier on its West End debut. Nic comments: “I had never seen Priscilla before which I think worked in my favour as I was able to approach it with a fresh pair of eyes”. Priscilla is renowned for being a glitzy and loud show; something Nic was asked to embrace for his design. He explains: “My brief was to be as bright and colourful as possible! Something I really had to consider was the use of projection in the show. PJ McEvoy, the set and projection designer, had created this large bus to sit centre stage which he then transformed with video. Making that projection have a visual impact was very important and this required close collaboration between the two of us to ensure the video and lighting created a cohesive stage picture”.

   In order to achieve this, Nic approached WL and worked closely with WL’s Business Development Manager Jonathan Haynes and WL’s Hire and Sales Coordinator Jim Dewhirst to select his exacting fixtures. He comments: “The show called for plenty of colour and texture from the lighting. I spec’d a number of Martin MAC 700 Profiles and Washes. The Profiles provided good beams in the air and gobo work on the show floor, whereas the Washes allowed me to wash the stage with saturated colour.

   He adds: “Overhead, we had the VL1100AS which I chose for their shuttering. It was important to control the light within the space so that I didn’t wash out the projection surfaces and the VL1100s gave me that ability. We also had a number of Pixel Line 1044s to light the cyc. With bold, saturated colours being so important, the 1044s had ample output for our relatively small cyc. Also key in my design were the ETC Lustrs which cross lit the space and allowed me to light the choreography with a rich colour palette”.

   With the production being so reliant on the use of projection, this mean that Nic had to be very exact with how he lit certain scenes. He comments: “It was all about retaining that balance between projection and the action on stage. I ended up with a lot of cues which had subtle lifts and drops at opportune moments to keep the balance right. It was also a very big show to tech in a relatively short period of time so I was grateful to have such a brilliant team at ArtsEd who facilitated everything”.

   The production ran from 2^nd – 10^th February and allowed the students the opportunity to perform in a large-scale show before graduating.

   Nic states: “This was a great show to work on with a great bunch of creatives. I am also very grateful to WL for being so supportive and allowing me to achieve everything I wanted with the show”.

   Jonathan adds: “We recently supported Nic with his West End debut, The Toxic Avenger, so it’s great he’s able to call upon our services for a completely different production. Ultimately, we want to ensure that we work closely with lighting designers on any project and provide them with the best service possible”.

   Photos courtesy of Robert Workman.

    

2. White Light Goes Back to Beginning in West End

   12 February 2018 10:44 Comments Off on White Light Goes Back to Beginning in West End

   Following a sell-out run at The National Theatre’s Dorfman, Beginning has recently transferred to London’s West End. Written by David Eldridge, the play is now running at the Ambassadors Theatre where it has once again received critical acclaim. It features a lighting design by Jack Knowles and White Light supplied the lighting equipment.

   Beginning tells the story of 40-somethings Danny and Laura, with Danny being the last straggler at Laura’s house party. Despite the flat being a mess and the pair being worse for wear, will he stay for one more drink…? The entire play is told in real time and set in one location. Jack comments: “Beginning was great fun but also a challenge lighting one specific space. The main brief was to be true to the naturalism of the piece. There was a high focus on practical light sources amongst the set, used to create the basis for the environment of the space.  That said, we wanted to keep the feel of a naturalistic world and make everything 100% believable.

   He adds: “As the show is set at night, there really is no progression of time passing from the exterior. Any change in state is brought on from the action of the characters, such as switching on a light in the kitchen, and this was all thoroughly investigated within the rehearsal process. There is no conveniently turning anything on or off as it is all done with an intention and a purpose; something I find brings a huge level of satisfaction and adds to the naturalism within the piece”.

   At the National, Jack’s design consisted of ETC Lustr 2s, used in low angles to mimic the lamps within the room as well as keep the focus low and balanced. This was complemented with the Dorfman’s general rig of MAC TW1s, VL1100TS and VL550s. However, as the show transferred into the West End, certain adjustments needed to be made.

   The transfer was mainly overseen by Jack’s Associate Lighting Designer Michael Harpur, who comments: “Prior to the transfer, Jack had redrawn his plan for the Ambassadors and we discussed the potential problems that may occur when trying to position existing fixtures into a new building. I worked closely with the venue’s Production Electricians and my Programmer Matt Somerville to try and recreate the Dorfman design in the Ambassadors”.

   The main changes for the transfer included the replacement of VL550s to Martin TW1s as well as a range of ETC Source Four Series 2 Lustrs which were changed to Source Four Tungsten 750ws. Michael explains: “When we were fitting the show, we had to make a lot of calls as to what could stay and what needed amending. For instance, due to the height of the Ambassadors, we needed to replace the VL1100s with more fixed Source Fours. Our main goal was to ensure that, whilst we adapted to the venue, we stayed true to the original design.

   Regarding the West End run, Michael adds: “The key on Beginning was to keep the warm intimacy of the play and blend it into the auditorium. We did this by keeping the house light level slightly dimmed and by keeping the levels of the lanterns lighting the stage at a low warm glow throughout. The show should have felt as though there were very few lighting cues by subtly pulling focus to the areas where Justine and Sam were performing; something we were able to achieve in both venues”.

   The show has now opened in the West End and will run until 24^th March.

   Jack adds: “It was fantastic to be working with a very supportive team at the Dorfman who fully bought into the show and the detail of it. It was also exceptionally useful being able to have Michael take the show into town as he not only knew what each fixture was doing but fully understood the aesthetic of the show”.

   Photos courtesy of Manuel Harlan.

    

3. White Light All Aboard Strangers On a Train

   11 January 2018 15:45 Comments Off on White Light All Aboard Strangers On a Train

   Based on the world renowned 1950 novel by Patricia Highsmith, Strangers On A Train is a spine-chilling tale that tells the story of a fateful encounter between two men in the dining carriage of a train crossing America. Originally seen in the West End, the production is now being revived and is touring across the UK. Starring television favourites Christopher Harper, John Middleton and Hannah Tointon, it is adapted by Craig Warner and directed by Anthony Banks. As a leading supplier to touring productions, White Light is providing the lighting equipment.

   Strangers On A Train sees the creative team from last year’s production of Gaslight reunite, which WL also supplied. The Lighting Designer for both is Howard Hudson, who comments: “The set for Strangers On A Train is built on two levels and relies on a lot of projection to suggest the setting. The vast majority of my job was to light the small spaces revealed for each scene. This involved having to be quite precise in not interfering with the projected surfaces but lighting each scene in such a way as to make the projected image believable in context”.

   

   For preparation, Howard attended rehearsals and began to formulate his design. When it came to choosing the exact fixtures, it was actually a demonstration at WL that helped influence his decision. He comments: “Having attended the WL demo of the Martin MAC Encore, I was very impressed with what this light could offer; particularly the warm version and its emulation of a tungsten source which was the feel we were after for this production. Similarly, its very low noise level was appealing with the units on the proscenium often so close to the audience. As you have such minimal positions overhead and the difficulty of access for maintenance, these were the perfect option for the show”.

   The overhead rig consisted of 5 x warm Encores and 3 x VL1100 AS, with the booms and proscenium being comprised of ETC Colour Source Profiles, 4 x additional Encores and a number of conventional Source Fours positioned front of house. Howard explains: “Touring a show which has to be set up in a day means it’s not possible to have too much focus time. What does need focusing, I try to keep in easy-to-access positions. As a result, the rig had to have that level of flexibility that you might not require for a show that was playing in just one venue. I wanted to ensure each position had as much flexibility as possible, hence the Colour Source and Encore route.

   

   He adds: “One of the biggest obstacles to overcome was finding the best shots into the very specific small spaces each scene was played in surrounded by video – which is a bit of a nightmare for a show that has to tour to a variety of different theatres where the same positions aren’t always guaranteed! So we were very aware that when we opened the tour in Brighton, where some shots and angles would have been possible and great to use, we had to be strict and not use these – knowing we wouldn’t be able to do so when we moved onto another venue. Another aspect is that the show is full of practicals, many of which are plugged up during the show itself due to the way the set works. This required a lot of careful planning and precision – much of which was done by Sonic Harrison who did a very efficient (and patient!) job as Production Electrician”.

   The show is currently playing at the Theatre Royal Brighton and will visit venues in Sheffield, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, York, Cambridge and many more.

   Howard adds: “This is a really suspenseful show that will have audiences up and down the country on the edge of their seats as the drama unfolds. It’s been a great production to work on, reuniting with a great team, and I am grateful to WL for their support once again”.

   Photos courtesy of Helen Maybanks.

4. It’s Panto Season for White Light – Oh Yes it is!

   11 December 2017 10:44 Comments Off on It’s Panto Season for White Light – Oh Yes it is!

   As always at this time of year, the Pantomime season is well and truly underway with dames, beanstalks and magic lamps taking centre stage up and down the country. As one of the leading suppliers to West End and UK touring theatre, White Light is supplying the lighting equipment to a range of pantomimes all across the UK.

   WL’s Hire Manager Jedd Hamilton comments: “For a lot of theatres, pantomimes are their biggest shows of the year. They are often extremely loud, fun and flashy productions; meaning they require a range of lighting equipment to achieve this impact. As a company, it’s our role to ensure we supply designers with exactly what they need”.

   As usual, it’s a host of familiar titles that are gracing the stage this Christmas. WL is supplying productions of Jack and the Beanstalk at the Bournemouth Pavilion, Cambridge Arts Theatre and Salisbury Playhouse. The Lighting Designer at Salisbury is Nic Farman, who comments: “I fundamentally start designing a panto in the same way I design any show, setting out concepts for each location and scene and finding the narrative in the script and music. We’ve tried to find every bit of magic in every moment of Jack and built from there. James Button’s set design is sumptuous and beautiful so lighting it has been a joy.

   He adds: “The show is pretty epic with over 200 individual RGBW festoon bulbs and a lot of practical elements in the set. In terms of the larger rig, I’ve drawn on the Martin MAC 700 Profiles and Coemar Infinity M Spots for the overhead spot work. I’ve also added some extra Martin MAC Auras which give me a great full stage wash from front of house and overhead. Elation Six PARs light the proscenium arch and three portals on stage and there’s also eight GLP Impression X4 Bars which light the downstage cloths”.

   Another popular title is the iconic Snow White which WL is supplying at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre and Bath Theatre Royal. The company is also supplying an adult-only version of the show at London’s Above the Stag Theatre which is renowned for its adult pantomimes. The lighting designer is Jamie Platt, who comments: “With panto, it’s the old adage of more is more. Every slight moment is a cue and a bold one at that. I don’t think you’d ever be able to get away with turning the stage green and strobing half the rig whenever the villain walks on stage in a play”.

   That said, working on a panto that The Stage lists in its ‘Top Ten Panto List’ does mean there is an element of expectation. Jamie explains: “I worked on the show last year that WL also supplied and each time we’re trying to make the show bigger and better. This year, the show is certainly bold and WL have been fantastic in helping us achieve this”.

   Alongside this, WL is also supplying equipment to Cinderella at the Epsom Playhouse, Greenwich Theatre and Malvern Theatre. Other productions include Sleeping Beauty at the Rhyl Pavilion and Worcester’s Swan Theatre, Peter Pan at the Blackpool Opera House and Aladdin at the Assembly Halls in Tunbridge Wells.

   Jedd adds: “The pantomime season concludes what has been an extremely busy year for WL. We continue to be the leading lighting supplier to the West End, supplying new productions of 42^nd Street, Young Frankenstein, Heisenberg and Venus in Fur, along with continuing our work on long-running shows such as Matilda, Les Misérables and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. We also supplied some of the UK’s biggest tours, as seen with The Band, Miss Saigon, Grease and Flashdance along with site-specific projects, fringe shows and school productions. We’re looking forward to 2018 where we will continue to work on a range of productions and offer designers the best service possible”.

   Photos courtesy of The Other Richard, PGBStudios and Robert Day

5. White Light Gets Into the Spirit with A Christmas Carol

   30 November 2017 09:15 Comments Off on White Light Gets Into the Spirit with A Christmas Carol

   Written by Jack Thorne, the Old Vic’s A Christmas Carol is a brand-new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic. It tells the iconic story of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge who is visited by four ghosts on Christmas Eve. Over the night, Scrooge is forced to confront his past and is given a final chance to see the error of his ways. The show opened last night to rave reviews and White Light provided the lighting equipment.

   A Christmas Carol stars Rhys Ifans and features a lighting design by Hugh Vanstone. Hugh comments: “This is a thoughtful and innovative take on the Dickens classic rather than an expensive, flashy stage production. This is reflected in the staging, which places the action in a specially installed-environment rather than a conventional proscenium production. A giant planked walkway stretches from the back of the stalls all the way into the scene dock. Additionally, between the theatre’s traditional boxes, there is another intersecting walkway. These are used by the characters as they journey through scenes”.

   In preparation for the show, Hugh met with director Matthew Warchus and designer Rob Howell to discuss the aesthetics of the production and how they would work together to create the space. Hugh explains: “There is virtually no scenery used in the show. There are four doorways which appear to define Scrooge’s office and bedroom but that’s more or less it”.

   Despite the uncluttered stage, there was one element of the installation that would have a considerable influence on Hugh’s design. He comments: “Hovering about 3m above the walkway are 200 hanging lanterns. These give off a Dickensian feel and each contains a flickering candle. There is also an in-the round speaker system. Therefore the angles and positions I could utilise for lighting were extremely limited due to heavy air traffic!”.

   Hugh approached WL to provide the equipment necessary to achieve his design. He comments: “I created a basic moving light rig to allow for isolation of areas and the odd special. The vast majority of the play takes place at night, or within Ghostly visions of Scrooge’s life; with only the final scene taking place in the daytime on Christmas morning. This led me toward reliable and silent arc sources for the night blues and crisp whites”.

   To achieve this, Hugh drew on 12 x Philips VL1000 arcs. He continues: “I added a single MAC Viper Performance as I needed one bright, versatile light with animation effects capability in the middle of the acting area. Finally a basic cover of 12 x ETC Source Four Lustr 2s completed the hire package. These are used heavily throughout the show for cross-light and colourwashes”.

   The show has now opened and will run until 20^th January.

   Hugh adds: “It’s been challenging exercise creating this fresh and entertaining take on a very well-known story. I hope my lighting goes some way toward creating an atmospheric environment which not many audience members will have experienced before”.

   Photos courtesy of Manuel Harlan.

    

6. White Light Goes for Goldie on New UK Tour

   28 November 2017 10:22 Comments Off on White Light Goes for Goldie on New UK Tour

   Widely considered as one of the most influential British electronic musicians of all time, Goldie has been creating music for over two decades, with his 1995 album Timeless considered to be an all-time classic. For the first time ever with a live ensemble, the musician recently travelled across the UK with The Journey Man Tour in which he performed tracks from his iconic repertoire along with material from his recently released album of the same name. Having previously supplied Goldie’s Timeless anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall, White Light was called upon once again to supply the lighting equipment on this latest tour.

   The lighting designer for The Journey Man tour was Richard Godin. He comments: “The show featured Goldie performing with members of the Heritage Ensemble along with a range of special guests. With Goldie’s music being so expansive, this is essentially a concert, jazz performance and rave rolled into one (!) so my task was to take the audience on an emotional journey through the different genres. As the songs built, this needed to be reflected in the lighting design, with a bombardment of beats and lights combined”.

   To inspire his design, Richard spent a lot of time listening to the show’s set list. He explains: “The music is hugely influential for this design. I would listen to the tracks over and over again in order to pick up on the complex beats and rhythms. Goldie himself talks about sound in terms of colour, light and darkness which I tried to incorporate. For instance, a deep blue felt right for the bass, saturated colours matched the cymbals whereas soprano voices almost felt like light coming from the darkness.

   

   Richard adds: “A lot of the design is about focusing light into the audience but avoiding direct light into their eyes. As a result, I used a lot of the venue’s architecture to send beams into the crowd which will allow them to feel surrounded by light and fully immersed into the music but not blinded”.

   Richard then approached WL and spent a week at the company’s state-of-the-art Studio15 in order to pre-rig his design. He comments: “The rig is based around five booms and a goal post which creates an arc around the band. This then throws light around the performers and into the crowd. Clay Paky Sharpys provided the laser-like light of the rave. The GLP Impression X4s provided texture and colour for the band, which the amazing light quality and zoom of the VL3000s creating a poetic link between the two. I drew on the Arri 2K and Selecon Acclaim Fresnels to crosslight the band and soloists, removing the need for followspots. The SGM X5 strobes deliver the staccato punch when we need to get the crowd moving”.

   

   The practicalities of travelling from venue to venue on tour meant that preparation was key. Richard explains: “The first get in required the rig to go from the truck to be ready and set up inside the venue within an hour. As a result, I needed to build it entirely at the WL warehouse. I also had to time myself and ensure that everything could be fitted up in time”.

   The tour opened at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester and visited the Roundhouse in London, Brighton Dome, Wolverhampton’s Civic Hall and Bristol’s Colston Hall.

   Richard comments: “This was a fantastic tour to work on and we received a great response from audiences up and down the country. Roger Deane and the team at WL were once again really supportive and offered a great level of service and equipment”.

   The Journey Man Tour marks another example of WL’s work in concert touring, with the company also supplying the latest tour for the Fleet Foxes, who performed at Brixton Academy last night.

   Photos courtesy of Richard Godin.

7. White Light Goes Inside Pussy Riot at Saatchi Gallery

   24 November 2017 10:45 Comments Off on White Light Goes Inside Pussy Riot at Saatchi Gallery

   Created by the Olivier-nominated Les Enfants Terribles, Inside Pussy Riot is inspired by the all-female punk rock group who staged a protest inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in 2012. This immersive theatre experience is currently taking place at the Saatchi Gallery to coincide with their Art Riot exhibition. Having supplied a range of immersive theatre projects already this year, White Light was called upon to provide the lighting equipment.

   Inside Pussy Riot invites audience members to pull on their balaclavas, stand in the dock and experience the realities of imprisonment. The lighting designer for the show is Charlie Morgan Jones. He comments: “Inside Pussy Riot takes its audience through the complete experience of Nadya Tolokonnikova’s trials and tribulations as the founder of Pussy Riot. At only an hour long, it’s extremely ambitious; as are all Les Enfants’ projects”.

   The show takes place across two galleries inside the Saatchi Gallery within a multi-purpose set. Charlie explains: “There are numerous locations used throughout the piece, such as the Cathedral, the police station, the courts along with the prison. Part of my role as the lighting designer was to help define each location. Similarly, after speaking with Les Enfants and the set designer in the initial planning stages, we decided to create a sense of heightened reality. There are a lot of scenes that are deliberately absurdist (reflecting a lot of the situations the Pussy Riot group found themselves in) so this felt like an appropriate choice”.

   Prior to the show opening, Charlie made two site visits in order to assess the space and begin formulating his design. He comments: “Whilst I knew what feel I wanted to create, with a lot of shows like this, it’s about adapting to what is being created. As we had an empty space prior to the tech, I had to wait until the set was built and then adapt my design as we moved forward”.

   Working closely with Production Electrician Paul Walmsley, Charlie approached WL to supply him with the kit he required. He comments: “I drew heavily on the ETC Source Four Minis, which, for me, are a fantastic replacement for birdies as they have that extra ability to focus. I also positioned a series of light bulbs throughout the space along with fluorescents (in particular for the police scene) and a range of LED tape.

   He continues: “Behind the stain glass window in the Cathedral there are a range of EvenLED panels. For the window in the prison, I used a range of ETC Source Fours with beam benders. I also drew on ETC Source Four Lustrs to provide additional colour where needed. We can’t actually rig from the Saatchi ceiling so we had to implement our own rigging points in order to position the fixtures as required”.

   Despite the ambitious nature of the show, Charlie and the LX team had a very limited time in which to set up the equipment. He comments: “From the first time I stepped into the space to the opening night, we had a week and a half to bring everything together. It was an extremely intense period but I thankfully had a brilliant team working behind me, which included a lot of Rose Bruford graduates. Similarly, the guys at WL were once again fantastic, offering suggestions and insight whenever we needed it”.

   The show has now opened and will run until 24^th December.

   Jonathan Haynes, WL’s Business Development Manager, comments: “We are delighted to work with Charlie and the rest of his team on Inside Pussy Riot. Like the previous immersive shows we have supplied, it’s an extremely unique production that required a very specific technical set-up; something we were able to support”.

   Photos courtesy of Kenny Mathieson.

8. White Light Supplies Venus in Fur in West End

   30 October 2017 10:06 Comments Off on White Light Supplies Venus in Fur in West End

   Following a Tony Award-winning run on Broadway, Venus in Fur has now made its London debut, opening at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Starring Natalie Dormer and David Oakes, the critically-acclaimed two -hander follows a meeting between enigmatic actress Vanda Jordan and director Thomas Novachek, with Vanda determined to land the leading role in Thomas’ latest production. As a leading supplier to West End theatre, White Light was called upon to provide the lighting equipment.

   The lighting designer for the show is Hugh Vanstone, who comments: “The play itself dictates a lot about the setting and lighting as the action takes place in a  New York rehearsal room whilst a thunderstorm rages outside. The room is initially lit with fluorescent strip lights but also has a small improvised lighting rig  which the mysterious Vanda commandeers to soften the mood in her attempts to win over Thomas”.

   

   This meant that Hugh had to implement two clear distinctions with his design: “The way I approached this play was to ensure there was a marked contrast between the blandly lit fluorescent room and the more atmospheric theatrical lighting. The first thing I did was install a version of the  ‘rehearsal lighting rig’ in the actual rehearsal room which Natalie could use to set the mood”.

   Hugh also worked alongside set and costume designer Rob Howell. He states: “It’s quite a striking set design featuring a raked floor pushing through the proscenium into the house with a steeply-angled ceiling overhead. As a result, there was no opportunity for overhead lighting; something I had to work around”.

   Hugh drew on the Martin MAC Viper Washes to provide bright lightning effects along with a range of ETC Source 4 Lustr 2s, conventional Source 4s, fresnels and birdies. Perhaps most significantly, the rig also contained the recently launched Philips VL1100 LED; making Venus in Fur the first West End production to utilise this highly-anticipated product.

   Hugh explains: “When I was designing the rig, I spoke to WL’s Technical Director Dave Isherwood who informed me that WL had become one of the first companies to invest in the VL1100s. I asked if I could try them for this show and he said yes. I used these fixtures to provide the tightly focused highlights for the actors during key moments – something they delivered with superb precision.

   

   He adds: “Overall, I was really impressed with the VL1100s. It’s a great improvement on the conventional tungsten version as it’s brighter and the colour mixing and frost function are both improved. Because of the LED engine the beam intensity and consistency is much better. They are also virtually silent, making them perfect for a play like this, and I can see them becoming a very popular fixture for many lighting designers”.

   Directed by Patrick Marber, Venus in Fur has now opened and will run until 9^th December.

   Hugh concludes: “I had a great experience working on Venus in Fur. The play gives the lighting designer carte blanche to really show off and WL once again proved to be the perfect choice to allow my design to shine”.

   Photos courtesy of Darren Bell and Tristram Kenton.

9. What a Feeling as White Light Supplies Flashdance

   26 October 2017 08:15 Comments Off on What a Feeling as White Light Supplies Flashdance

   Based on the now iconic Paramount Pictures Film, Flashdance – The Musical tells the story of 18 year-old Alex who dreams of attending the prestigious Shipley Dance Academy and becoming a professional dancer. Yet when a romance complicates her ambitions, she harnesses this to drive her dream. The show is currently on a tour across the UK and White Light has provided the lighting equipment.

   Flashdance – The Musical is being produced by the award-winning Selladoor Productions and features a lighting design by Mark Howland. He comments: “Having never actually seen the film, this allowed me to approach the piece with a completely fresh perspective as though it were a new piece. The show is very rooted within 80s music so I was keen to push some of the bold 80s colours which are largely associated with the music videos and concerts of that time. We also keep a lot of the lighting rig in view”.

   

   By having the rig in constant view, this meant that it became a part of the aesthetic. Mark comments: “The boom towers worked well with the par cans making a strong feature at the side of the stage. These dance towers provided a powerful crosslight as well as being a strong visual feature in which we could frame the rest of the scenic design!”.

   Alongside his artistic approach, Mark was also conscious of ensuring that the rig he designed was tourable. He comments: “The rig has to remain manageable due to an extremely busy touring schedule. As a result, a number of moving lights were used to fulfil a range of roles. All of the overheads are moving lights. We used a number of Martin MAC IIIs as their punch and wide zoom range gave me strong gobo and toplight options. The fact that they’re so powerful also meant that we didn’t require a large number of fixtures.

   He adds: “We also draw quite heavily on the Martin MAC 700 range which are small enough to fit in the dance towers yet also quite powerful and work well for general colour washes as well as specials”.

   Mark also utilised the Chroma-Q Color Force LED Battens, ADB Fresnels and Look Solutions Unique 2.1 Haze Machines.

   The show is currently at the Blackpool Opera House and will tour the rest of the UK until August 2018.

   Mark adds: “The beauty of lighting a musical is the variety of different aesthetics that you can apply across one show. Whilst there is always a need to adhere to an overall design style that works with the whole team, there is often such a variety of styles and emotions within the songs that can really push the strong and varied choices in the way each one is lit – something I was able to achieve with Flashdance – The Musical”.

   Photos courtesy of Brian Hartley.

    

10. White Light Brings Young Frankenstein to Life

    11 October 2017 08:57 Comments Off on White Light Brings Young Frankenstein to Life

    Written by legendary comedian Mel Brooks, Young Frankenstein is the musical comedy based on the Oscar-nominated smash hit film of the same name. Following a run on Broadway in 2007, this hilarious show has now made its way to London and opened last night at the Garrick Theatre. As one of the leading lighting suppliers to the West End, White Light was called upon to provide the lighting equipment.

    The lighting designer for the show is Ben Cracknell, who comments: “I have always been a huge fan of Mel Brooks’ films so was thrilled when I was approached to light this. Both Susan Stroman, the Director and Choreographer, and Mel felt that the humour of the show would work much better in a more intimate Vaudeville style so the show was designed around this concept”.

    Young Frankenstein features a set design by Beowulf Boritt that is centred around a series of painted cloths depicting the locations from a Medical School to a Deserted Railway Station. I wanted my lighting style to pick out the beauty in what, in essence, is a series of paintings. I also wanted to flavour my lighting style with the zaniness that seems to pervade throughout all of Mel’s work!”.

    To achieve this, Ben visited WL in order to draw on the company’s extensive hire inventory. He comments: “The Vaudeville style of the show with its four portals and painted cloths shaped my design significantly. On stage, the biggest challenge was to light the numerous painted cloths in what is a very small amount of space. The cloths have both opaque sections to front light (such as solid buildings and ships) and translucent sections to back light (windows, water, the sky). As a result, I visited WL HQ where I spent a lot of time experimenting with different types of cloth lighting battens”.

    Ben eventually decided to draw on the Robert Juliat DALIS 860. He comments: “I was extremely impressed with the colour and even intensity output from these units, when lighting cloth as close as 50cm and as far away as 2m”. To ensure that all of the intricate details of the cloths were highlighted, Ben drew on four Philips VL 3500s. He explains: “I loaded these with a series of custom ‘mask’ gobos which picked out scenic detail from trees to windows to signs; meaning I could be incredibly selective in how the cloths were lit”.

    Ben also drew on a row of Martin MAC Aura XBs to backlight the cloths along with ColourForce 72s for the furthest upstage and downstage cloths. Ben adds: “The stage layout of portals and cloths meant I divided the stage into horizontal bays of lighting. These were cross-lit by ladders of ETC Source Four Lustr 2s then top-lit by Viper DXs and VL3500 Spots. And, of course, a show like this would not be complete without a fine array of strobes for lighting effects – hence the Martin Atomic 3000s!”.

    The show has now opened to rave reviews and will run in the capital until next February. Ben adds: “This was a fantastic show to work on. I really enjoyed my time at the Garrick, especially working with the Chief Electrician Matt Watling and his team. I would also like to thank my own team, Chris Winn (Programmer), Charlotte Burton (Assistant LD) and Theo Chadha (Production Electrician), along with the team at WL”.

    WL’s Managing Director, Bryan Raven, comments: “We are delighted to supply Young Frankenstein as it embarks on its first ever West End run. We have also supplied Heisenberg which opened on Monday at the Wyndham’s, Ink which recently opened at the Duke of York’s and Venus in Fur which opens at Theatre Royal Haymarket later this month. Our constant investment in the very latest technology, coupled with our renowned customer service, means we are able to provide lighting designers with the support they need on any show”.

    Photos courtesy of Manuel Harlan.