Tag Archive: Richard Howell

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 on the Flipside for Selfridges Exhibition

   7 June 2018 15:23 Leave a Comment

   Selfridges is one of the world’s finest department stores, welcoming over 20 million visitors every year. Constantly wanting to provide their customers with a unique shopping experience, they frequently house different exhibitions and immersive events. Their latest is The Flipside: a multi-sensory exhibition which has just opened. Following their previous work with Selfridges, White Light was approached to provide the complete technical support for The Flipside.

   The Flipside is located at The Old Selfridges Hotel and allows customers to journey through a vast, one-of-a-kind space where the world’s most forward-thinking brands and creative minds intersect with radical ideas.

   The Flipside features a range of individual brands including Louise Vuitton, Thom Browne, Gareth Pugh and Google Pixel 2. Working alongside Lighting Designer Richard Howell, Production Electrician John Delaney, Designer Chiara Stephenson and Sound Designer Alex Baranowski, WL had to ensure that each designer’s brief was brought to life and that each brand had its own idiosyncratic experience.

   Richard comments: “Each brand was distinctive, yet each one had to be immersive. For Louis Vuitton, the brief was to invite visitors to explore a deeply modern way of looking at travel. As part of the design, there were different islands each containing items of opulence and luxury. We had to highlight this through the use of bespoke lighting and rigging.

   He adds: “With the Gareth Pugh section, Selfridge’s wanted their customers to experience the designer’s ground-breaking installation, which touched on themes of escape, freedom and clarity. As this was a particularly immersive experience, we drew on ultra-short throw projection lenses along with a bespoke soundscape to couple the projection”.

   WL spent two months preparing for the exhibition, including numerous site visits to The Old Selfridges Hotel. The WL team then spent two weeks on site installing the equipment.

   Over the next few weeks, the exhibition will be used for a range of events, each centred on the themes of Radical Luxury.

   Photos courtesy of Andrew Meredith.

3. David Plater Wins Offie for Best Lighting Design

   27 February 2017 10:40 Comments Off on David Plater Wins Offie for Best Lighting Design

   Last night, the winners of the OffWestEnd.Com Awards, better known as the Offies, were announced in an online Twitter ceremony hosted by Sir Patrick Stewart. The Offies recognise Off West End theatre in London, celebrating independent venues and recognising the artists who work in them. As a leading lighting supplier to theatrical productions all across the capital, White Light once again sponsored the award for Best Lighting Design. This year it has been won by David Plater for his superb work on Deathwatch at the Print Room.

   Deathwatch was the first major revival of the classic play by Jean Genet, in a new translation by David Rudkin. It told the story of three young convicts who are forced to share a cell, locked within a world of dangerous rivalries… The revival received critical acclaim, with particular praise for David’s work, including “his work ensures that the darkest secrets of this cell are starkly illuminated” (WhatsOnStage), “superb lighting from David Plater (who) uses a range of lights to create interesting effects” (Live Theatre UK) and “David Plater’s lighting is definitely the stand-out element of the show” (Theatre Bubble).

   

   Deathwatch at the Print Room

   David, who in the past has been nominated for both Tony and Olivier Awards, was chosen from a shortlist of three which included Rob Mills for his work on It is Easy to be Dead at the Finborough Theatre and Jack Weir for his work on Bad Girls at the Union Theatre.

   WL’s Managing Director Bryan Raven comments: “As a company, we are involved in various schemes that promote and celebrate all types of theatre. Whilst it’s important to recognise West End productions, it is equally important to promote the fantastic work being made in London’s Off West End scene.  Therefore it’s with absolute pleasure that we’re able to sponsor this Award. David’s design on Deathwatch, which we actually supplied the equipment for, was really something quite special and it’s great that this has been recognised”.

   Previous winners of the Award include Howard Hudson, who last year lit Kenneth Branagh’s Romeo and Juliet in the West End, Richard Howell, who has just lit Privacy starring Daniel Radcliffe in New York, along with Elliot Griggs, who lit Pomona at the National Theatre.

   In his acceptance speech, David commented: “Thank you very much for this award. Thanks to director Geraldine Alexander, designer Lee Newby, Alex Ramsden and Charlie Oliver. A big thank you to Veronica, the Winters, Julia, Andy and everyone at the Print Room.  A special thank you to White Light for their support on my production”.

   Photos courtesy of Marc Brenner.