Tag Archive: Martin Chisnall

1. White Light in West End with Brilliant Company

   5 November 2018 12:13 1 Comment

   

   Directed by the Olivier Award-winning Marianne Elliot, Stephen Sodenheim and George Furth’s legendary musical Company has recently returned to the West End. Playing at the Gielgud Theatre, the show has opened to overwhelming critical acclaim and has already announced an extension to March 2019. As the leading lighting supplier to West End shows, White Light was called upon to supply the lighting.

   Company tells the story of Bobbie whose friends and family can’t understand why she isn’t married. At her 35^th birthday party, she questions the pressure to find the right person and finally settle down. The show is lit by Olivier and Tony Award-winning Neil Austin, who comments: “This is actually the second time I’ve lit Company, having worked on a version in Sheffield about eight years ago with Daniel Evans. It’s a show I love and was delighted to be asked to do it again. What’s brilliant about Marianne’s version is that she’s swapped the gender of the protagonist from male to female, from Bobby to Bobbie. As a result, it completely transforms the piece, giving it extraordinary currency and clarity”.

   

   To create his design, Neil worked closely with Set Designer Bunny Christie. He explains: “Bunny came up with several designs, but the one we settled on was a series of open-fronted cubes; the smallest of which is around 9 by 9 feet. A five-sided box is a lighting designer’s worst nightmare, and we’ve got nine of them!  I added LED light boxes to the front fascia of each box to be able to blend or contrast to the interior, as well as LED tape around the inside of the box to help light the actors. We then cut small lighting slots in the front and back of each box’s ceilings and utilised small hidden units to highlight and add backlight”.

   Neil approached WL to supply him with the exact lighting fixtures required for his intricate design. He explains: “I drew on my current favourite unit, the Martin MAC Encores, to light from the outside of the boxes, along with lots (and lots!) of GLP X4 Bars for both the interior box slots and exterior lighting. Other units included the ETC Source 4 Series 2 Lustrs as well as Viper NT Smoke Machines.

   Neil adds: “The entire rig for Company was LED. This was glorious as it was extremely quiet whilst remaining very versatile. Whilst Company is a big show with loud numbers from the 15-strong band, there are lots of quiet scenes and nuanced moments and you can hear every single word said on stage in silence without interruption from fans”.

   Company marks one of several shows that WL is currently supplying in the West End, including the recently opened Don Quixote, The Inheritance, Height of the Storm, Switzerland along with the upcoming True West. WL also continues to supply long-running smashes including Tina – The Musical, Matilda, Aladdin and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child which was also lit by Neil.

   Neil concludes: “I am very grateful to my brilliant team on this production, which includes Production Electrician Martin Chisnall and Programmer Daniel Haggerty. A big thanks also to WL for supplying me once again with the exact fixtures I required”.

   Photos courtesy of Brinkhoff-Moegenburg

2. White Light the Musical to Premiere in West End

   1 April 2018 00:01 Comments Off on White Light the Musical to Premiere in West End

   
   *Please note that, due to certain artistic differences, WL – The Musical has had to be postponed for the time being. We intend to offer a full refund to all 12 of you who purchased tickets. A revamped version of the show is expected to be announced on the same date next year…
   For over 45 years, White Light has been the leading lighting supplier to West End and UK touring theatre. Now, for the first time in the company’s history, we are delighted to announce the long-awaited White Light – The Musical which will open in London’s West End later this year.

   The inspiration behind White Light – The Musical comes from the company’s Managing Director Bryan Raven. He explains: “As a leading lighting supplier to West End theatre, we firmly believe this justifies our having a musical based upon the White Light story. Many a time I’ve walked down Shaftesbury Avenue and thought ‘what the West End really needs is a musical about a company that supplies the lighting equipment’. I’ve been talking about this idea for years just to be greeted with looks of bemusement so I think it was previously too radical a concept. However, I strongly believe we’re now in a place where audiences are ready for a White Light musical. Well, they’re getting it anyway”.

   White Light – The Musical tells the story of how a small company in Fulham would grow to become one of the biggest theatre lighting suppliers to the West End and UK touring theatre. It will feature an original book and draw on songs from some of the world’s best known artists. Bryan explains: “In what we believe to be a clever move, we’ve ensured that every single song in the musical is called White Light. This includes White Light by George Michael, White Light by The Corrs, White Light by Gorillaz, White Light by The Velvet Underground and White Light(ning) by Def Leppard. We were warned this may become tedious but we’ve just ignored that. The only exception is Agadoo by Black Lace which will be used for the encore”.

   The idea came into fruition following what can only be described as months of R & D. Bryan comments: “We met in the pub every Tuesday night to discuss the premise and how far we could go with it. By sheer coincidence, the more we drank, the more creative we became. We knew we were really onto something when the other six people in the pub said they’d come and see the show – something they reiterated when we bought them another round. In fact, we’re currently in negotiations for them to be part of the ensemble”.

   

          The TBC artwork for this epic production.

   Aside from the ensemble, the main cast is still to be announced but will feature a range of household names. Bryan adds: “We really wanted to ensure that whoever we cast were an accurate reflection of who we are in reality. This was particularly important for the person playing me. Sadly, Ryan Gosling wasn’t available so we’ll have to have a rethink”.

   So far, the Production Electrics team has been confirmed as Martin Chisnall and Gerry Amies (with these industry veterans more commonly known as “Jurassic Sparks”). The Production Manager is Lee Batty whereas there will be open auditions for the lighting designer held at Wimbledon Village Hall later this month. Designers are asked to bring their tap shoes and at least two songs to the audition.

   WL has also managed to scoop another influential industry figure for a critical role on the production. Bryan comments: “After working in this industry for over 45 years, we understand that the most important part of any show is the first night party. That’s why we’ve appointed the best party organiser in the business, Sue Uings, to come on board. Come to think of it, we’ve actually assigned more budget to the opening night party than the actual show itself so it better be good!”.

   The show opens in July later this year and is expected to immediately extend following press night (critics are embargoed). Tickets are now on sale and they are expected to be sold out by midday today.

   Bryan adds: “We’re realists here at WL and know that shows don’t run forever. However, if we could at least match the success of Les Misérables, then we would be satisfied. We are also in talks for a UK tour, US tour, Edinburgh Fringe run and, of course, the inevitable movie. Next stop Hollywood!”.

3. White Light Supplies The Goat, or Who is Silvia?

   5 April 2017 08:11 Comments Off on White Light Supplies The Goat, or Who is Silvia?

   Opening tonight at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, The Goat, or Who is Silvia? is a revival of Edward Albee’s Tony Award-winning masterpiece. Starring Damian Lewis and Sophie Okonedo, the play is directed by the former Artistic Director at the Royal Court Ian Rickson. As one of the leading lighting suppliers to West End theatre, WL was called upon to provide the equipment.

   Winner of the 2002 Tony Award for Best Play, The Goat, or Who is Silvia? tells the story of Martin, a middle-aged, hugely successful architect whose seemingly perfect life is thrown into complete turmoil when he confides in his best friend that he has fallen in love with a goat named Silvia… The lighting design was created by Neil Austin, who is nominated for an Olivier Award for his work on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

   

   Neil comments: “The Goat is a funny, poignant and thought-provoking play which the cast really get the most out of. The brief for my design was to portray a successful architect’s Chelsea Brownstone House in New York. The first two acts are treated naturalistically as they are set on a sunny Spring afternoon. However, act three is much more expressionistic as the protagonist’s life begins to fall apart”.

   To achieve his design, Neil drew on WL’s extensive inventory. This includes the ETC Revolutions, ETC Source Four Series Two Lustrs, ADB Fresnels and Martin MAC Aura XBs, all of which were controlled by an ETC Ion 2K Console.

   

   Neil adds: “The Haymarket is one of the most beautiful theatres in London but, having been built in 1820, it lacks a comprehensive array of front of house lighting positions.  So, I positioned a series of ETC Revolutions on the Proscenium Boom to get the most out of the positions that existed. I drew on a range of other equipment to serve the show including large banks of par cans outside the windows to recreate the sunlight and daylight during the naturalistic scenes”.

   The play opens this evening and will run until 24th June 2017.

   Neil adds: “This has been a great play to work on with a fantastic crew and cast.  My Production Electrician Martin Chisnall, my programmer, Dan Haggerty and I would like to thank WL for their help throughout and providing us with the exact equipment we needed”.

   Photos courtesy of Johan Persson.