Tag Archive: MAC Viper Performance

1. White Light Supplies All My Sons at the Old Vic

   4 June 2019 11:54 Leave a Comment

   

   White Light recently supplied the lighting equipment for the Old Vic’s production of All My Sons, starring Hollywood legends Sally Field and Bill Pullman.

   Written by Arthur Miller, All My Sons is set in 1940s America and tells the story of a family whose lives are shadowed by the losses of war. This latest version is a co-production between the Old Vic and Headlong and features a lighting design by Richard Howell. Richard comments: “Although All My Sons is obviously an iconic play, I had never seen or read it before working on this production. As a result, I was able to approach with it a completely fresh perspective”.

   On the show, Richard worked closely with renowned director Jeremy Herrin to achieve the specific feel required. He explains: “In terms of my design, the main challenge was to create three distinct looks for the three acts but to also manage the progression between them in a way that felt natural. Although this play is rooted in naturalism it also has a great lyrical quality. The lighting initially needed to establish a naturalistic world. As the lives of the main protagonists fractured over the course of the play, the lighting had to shift into a more expressionistic visual language”.

   Having recently supplied the Glengarry Glen Ross tour which Richard lit, he approached WL to supply the equipment once again on this production.

   Richard comments: “The rig mainly utilised MAC TW1s and MAC Viper Performances. The organic, soft quality of light from the TW1 gave a useful sunlight feel for Acts 1 and 2 whilst the colder, harsher quality of light from the Vipers was useful for the more abstract third act. I also use the Robert Juliat DALIS to light the cyc as well as a mixture of ETC Source Series 2 Lustrs”.

   Due to the layout of both the venue and the set, this meant that Richard had to configure his design accordingly. He explains: “Practically, there was very little depth behind the cyc and a big truck was stored where the lights would normally be. Thanks to some clever rigging by the lighting team at the Old Vic, we were able to fly the ground row in after the truck had moved”.

   The play closes this weekend after embarking on a sell-out run which achieved critical acclaim. It is one of several shows that WL has supplied at the Old Vic over the past year, having worked on Wise Children, A Christmas Carol and The American Clock.  The company will also supply the lighting for the upcoming Present Laughter which opens later this month.

   Richard concludes: “Once again a huge thank you to WL who have been invaluable in helping us find the exact equipment needed for this production”.

   Photos courtesy of Johan Persson.

    

2. 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.