Situated on Levels 4 and 5 of the Science Museum, Illuminate is a progressive new venue designed to both anticipate and surpass the needs of the ever-evolving events industry. The venue will couple state-of-the-art technology with flexible spaces and stunning views of the City, offering both a unique and productive experience for all clients. Due to its long-standing relationship with the Science Museum, along with its reputation for managing similar venues across London, White Light was appointed Production Partner at Illuminate and has designed and installed the technical system within the space.
The installation was overseen by WL’s Project Manager Jason Larcombe. He explains: “We were approached by the Science Museum who came to us with their vision for the space and what they wanted to achieve. They wanted both an intuitive and user-friendly system that can reach the demands of any client; covering everything from the biggest conferences to more intimate events. It was our task to draw on our experience of managing other venues, alongside our technical knowledge, to select a range of products that were bespoke to Illuminate and could fulfil the Science Museum’s vision”.
This included d&b V-series speakers and D series amplifiers, whose portability means they can be moved around the space and offer a solution bespoke to each event. Yamaha QL1 Series desks were chosen for their reliability, portable control and the fact that they are the go-to desk for the majority of technicians and operators. These are run on the Dante network, allowing additional resources to be easily integrated to suit a client’s requirements.
Shure receivers have been chosen due to the fact they are an industry leader in radio microphone transmission. Shure radio microphones were called upon for their extraordinary audio clarity alongside the fact they also sit on the DANTE network. JBL has been used for ceiling speakers, ensuring a basic audio coverage across the space that can be zoned to suit varying room formats.
Four 13K Christie projectors were chosen due to the incredible projection they provide, along with the fact that they are incredibly quiet and compact. Panasonic screens offer superior picture quality along with robustness and reliability; something which is vital when they are used on multiple events. Crestron NVX controls all of the lighting and AV set-ups, allowing the space to be managed by one integrated system.
Jason comments: “Everything we’ve chosen for Illuminate is industry-recognised and the type of product you would expect to find in a premium events venue. We also wanted to draw on equipment that would be completely reliable and offer maximum impact. Ultimately, if you draw on products from leading manufacturers, you are guaranteed a certain level of quality – something we want all clients using Illuminate to experience”.
A lot of the equipment used within the space is also a continuation of WL’s relationships with the manufacturers and the company’s commitment to investing in the very latest technology. Jason explains: “A lot of the products match those we already have in our extensive hire inventory, meaning clients will be able to resource an entire production internally; a system which has proved extremely useful for our other managed venues. It also allows Illuminate to remain competitive as a venue as it is completely flexible and can change quite significantly; dependent on the client’s needs”.
Illuminate will open on 1st February 2019 and there has already been significant interest in this game-changing events space. There will also be show-rounds from 4th December for clients to get a sneak peak of the venue. To book your Illuminate show-round, contact the team on [email protected] or telephone 020 7942 4340.
Ben Lheureux, Head of Catering and Events at the Science Museum Group, comments: “Knowing first-hand of WL’s impressive record of delivering innovative and creative technical solutions in a range of venues, we knew they were the perfect production partner for Illuminate. We are delighted with the technical set-up they have designed and know it will offer our clients an events package that simply isn’t available anywhere else.”
WL Director Richard Wilson adds: “We are very proud of our long-standing relationship with the Science Museum. As two technology-focused organisations, we felt we could very much add value to Illuminate for their incoming venue clients and cannot wait to showcase this brilliant space following the official launch in January 2019”.
Jason concludes: “Illuminate is a prime example of how we are truly able to offer a partnership to venues. We don’t want to simply supply equipment but also our expertise and on-going support to work closely with the client to ensure we provide an exact solution which fulfils their vision. The result is a truly unique package and, as we continue to expand our managed venues portfolio, we look forward to working with a range of venues to offer the production support bespoke to their needs”.
Comments Off on White Light Wins AV Technology Europe Award
The AV Technology Europe Awards are dedicated to recognising innovation and achievements in the AV industry. The Awards provide a brand-new platform for the AV end-user community to celebrate the increasingly pivotal role that AV plays for businesses around the world; from corporate to hospitality, education to retail, and everything in between. This year’s award ceremony took place in Amsterdam and WL was the recipient of Best Small to Mid-Scale AV Project.
WL was awarded the accolade following its work on the Cambridge University fundraising event at Banqueting House. For the project, WL was approached by the University to provide the technical solutions that would engage key stakeholders. Led by WL’s Creative Producer Richard Stirzaker, the team drew on the latest video and projection technology to create a digital canvas inside Banqueting House; resulting in a fully immersive environment for when guests arrived. Alongside this, there were several live speakers on the evening who include Stephen Fry. To ensure the speeches were as interactive as possible, WL created a system in which animated graphics, created by Johnson banks, were triggered by key words in the speeches. There was also a digital sound audio environment that was created within the space.
WL Director Richard Wilson comments: “We are delighted to have won at this year’s AV Technology Europe Awards. The fundraiser at Banqueting House is a great example of how we are able to work closely with a client and not only deliver a brief but go beyond their expectations. Using the latest technology, our expert teams and the beautiful architecture within Banqueting House, we were able to create something spectacular and it’s an event we are extremely proud of”.
The Award marks another accolade that WL has received over the past few months, with the company winning the Best Use of AV Technology at the Event Technology Awards as well as Event Production Supplier of the Year at the Drum UK Event Awards. The company is also shortlisted for two awards at the upcoming Event Production Awards which includes Event Production of the Year and Best Use of Technology at an Event.
Richard adds: “The fact that our work is being recognised on an international scale is a credit to the fantastic team we have at WL, who are able to push boundaries on any event using the very latest technology. We now want to grow on this success and ensure that we continue to deliver the high-level of service that has become synonymous with our company and make every single event we work on unforgettable”.
The AV Technology Europe Awards took place during this year’s Integrated Systems Europe Show. The WL team were in Amsterdam to scope out the latest technology first-hand. WL’s Head of Business Development Lee Dennison comments: “As seen with the AV Technology Award, we are a company pioneering the use of the very latest technology, ensuring that our clients have access to state-of-the-art equipment. One of our main reasons for attending ISE was to seek out the products of tomorrow today, along with catching up with partners and old friends. We were really impressed with what we saw and will be looking to add to our already extensive industry over the upcoming months”.
Comments Off on White Light Appointed Production Partner by The Mermaid London
Today, White Light has announced the signing of a 5-year in-house supplier contract with The Mermaid London.
The contract, which begun on 1st January 2018, will see WL work alongside The Mermaid London to improve existing equipment as well as introduce new lighting, audio, video, rigging and staging technical solutions and products to enhance the venue’s event production offering. To complement the supply of equipment WL will be appointing a specialist project manager to handle all enquiries and manage the day-to-day technical support required on events.
Richard Wilson, Director at WL, comments: “We are delighted to be working with The Mermaid London. Along with our expert technical teams, we will complement this fantastic venue with the installation of improved technical production equipment. Further technical support for clients will also be available from our head office in Wimbledon. This is a very exciting collaboration between two leading organisations.”
WL has over 45 years’ experience in offering expert services including, but not limited to; full technical production service, an extensive range of technical equipment and an on-site team of highly skilled designers and technicians, to leading London event venues. At the end of 2017, WL was awarded ‘Best Use of AV Technology’ at the Event Technology Awards 2017 and ‘Event Production Supplier of the Year’ at The Drum UK Event Awards 2017.
This announcement follows the success of similar in-house supplier contracts confirming with the Science Museum for Levels 4 & 5, Central Hall Westminster, Claridge’s, and The Connaught. Moving into 2018 WL will look to further expand its portfolio of managed venues, ensuring clients have easy access to the latest technology in event and conference production.
Claire Pastore, Head of Commercial at The Mermaid London, added: “We’re thrilled to be working alongside WL in this exciting new venture. As a leading events venue in central London, we’re always looking at ways to enhance our AV/production to clients, and the state-of-the-art production equipment and solutions provided by WL, will enable us to offer the best creative and innovative production concepts to event organisers.”
The Mermaid London, located in the heart of the City of London, is only a two-minute walk from Blackfriars Station, a short distance from Blackfriars Pier and a 15-minute walk from mainline stations Liverpool Street and Kings Cross St. Pancras. The venue is home to nine meeting and event spaces including the City of London’s only 600-seater auditorium, and the newly refurbished Upper River Room with breath-taking views of the River Thames, Tate Modern, The Shard and Shakespeare’s Globe.
Comments Off on White Light Wins Event Production Supplier of the Year!
The Drum UK Event Awards recognise and reward brand activation and experiential agencies as well as industry suppliers, event organisers and marketers. This year’s Awards took place at the Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel on Tuesday 5th December. After another hugely successful year, White Light was nominated in two categories – with the company being the recipient of the Event Production Supplier of the Year Award.
The Event Production Supplier of the Year Award aims to recognise companies that have used their knowledge and expertise to deliver unforgettable events. It also acknowledges organisations that have used technology creatively, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved on events. This year alone, WL has delivered some ground-breaking projects, including the University of Cambridge Fundraiser at Banqueting House which saw the company draw on the latest media server and projection equipment to transform the interior of the historic venue. The company’s work on the event saw them win Best Use of AV Technology at the Event Technology Awards. WL has also delivered many other significant events such as lighting the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the official reopening of Hintze Hall at the Natural History Museum and the Google Cloud Conferences at ExCeL.
WL’s Director Richard Wilson comments: “As a company, we have grown exponentially in recent years. When we started in 1971, we were supplying lighting to West End shows. Whilst we still work in theatre, we have diversified significantly; especially in the world of events. We’re now the only cross-palace production supplier at Historic Royal Palaces and an approved supplier at Unique Venues of London, Tate, Saatchi and the Southbank Centre to name but a few. Not only that but we continue our role as Production Service Partner at Central Hall Westminster and have been appointed as the in-house technical supplier at Claridge’s and the Connaught Hotel Group”.
Over the past twelve months, WL has worked on a wide scope of events. These include Conferences (European Space Agency at the Science Museum), Launches (the Women’s Equality Party), Experiential (FIFA Interactive World Cup Finals), Gala Dinners (Stonewall Charity Dinner), Fashion Shows (London Fashion Week), Award Ceremonies (London Evening Standard Progress 1000) as well as a range of smaller scale events such as dinner receptions, private parties and weddings.
Richard adds: “The reason we’ve worked on such a diverse mix of events this year is due to our constant growing reputation in being able to offer clients the very best service possible. As a London-based company, we employ more than 220 members of staff, with a dedicated Production team. We also invest £3 million in the latest technology, ensuring we have an unparalleled range of resources”.
Receiving the Award concludes what has been an extremely successful year for WL, with 2018 looking busier than ever before. Richard states: “As seen at this year’s Drum Awards, the events industry is constantly evolving and this is something we’re continuing to match. For us, it’s about going beyond expectations and constantly delivering results that were previously not achievable; something which clients old and new can both benefit from”.
Comments Off on White Light Wins Best Use of AV Technology at Event Tech Awards
The 2017 Event Technology Awards took place on Thursday 9th November at the Troxy, East London. This year, more than 100 innovative companies were shortlisted into 28 categories covering a range of different disciplines in the world of event tech. One of the Awards included Best Use of AV, which recognises one company’s use of audio visual technology on a single event. This year, it was awarded to White Light for its work on the University of Cambridge Fundraiser at Banqueting House.
Now in its fifth year, the Event Technology Awards are a globally recognised awards ceremony, with entries coming as far away as New Zealand, Australia, Russia and Mexico. The winners are chosen by twenty-one expert judges who work across the events spectrum. WL was nominated following its work with the University of Cambridge at Banqueting House back in May this year. The company was approached to provide the technical solutions on a celebration event which had to engage key stakeholders.
WL’s Creative Producer Richard Stirzaker comments: “We worked closely with the event’s Production Manager Vaughan Roberts, University of Cambridge’s Events Manager Rachel Mortimer Holdsworth, and creative agency johnson banks to offer an ideal solution. Banqueting House is a very traditional, historic space and we were determined to transform the interior into a fully immersive environment”.
It was WL’s innovative use of AV technology which saw them take the crown at this year’s Event Technology Awards. WL’s Technical Solutions Director Andy Hook comments: “The system we created was built around d3 – the world’s first integrated video production suite. Based around a real-time 3D simulator, it is the single solution needed to design, present, sequence and playback a show. We drew on the server to deliver content to eight Christie HD Projectors which created a digital canvas around the whole room inside Banqueting House”.
There were eight live guest speakers at the Fundraiser, including Steven Fry, who delivered speeches that were accompanied by animated graphics synchronised using the d3 system. The content, which related to both Cambridge and the University, was specifically designed to enhance the speeches with a series of animations triggered by key words within the script. Using projection, WL created a wraparound presentation which ensured that the entire room was brought to life and those in attendance were fully encapsulated within this immersive experience.
Andy adds: “As Banqueting House is constantly in use, this meant we had limited time on site. Using the d3 technology, we created an accurate 3D model of the building by laser scanning it and then imported this into the d3 simulator environment, allowing all pre-production, design and communication with the client to be carried out off-site. We were also able to carry out real-time technical rehearsals of the whole event using a live 3D simulation at the client’s offices in Cambridge”.
The event also saw WL draw on its extensive audio and lighting equipment, which was synchronised using the d3 technology. This included ETC lighting fixtures, over 40 CORE Lighting Wireless LED Uplighters and EM Acoustics EMS Speakers. These created a surround sound audio environment processed by a Yamaha QL5 Mixer and RIO 32 Way Dante Stage Rack. The d3 platform processed multi-channel audio and fed this via Dante to the Yamaha audio system.
WL’s Director Richard Wilson comments: “We are absolutely delighted to have won Best Use of AV at this year’s Event Technology Awards. For the University of Cambridge Fundraiser, we truly pushed the boundaries of what could be achieved in that space and showcased what we can offer as a company; something which has now been recognised within the events industry”.
Photos courtesy of Alastair Fyfe and the Event Technology Awards.
Comments Off on White Light Becomes Official Technical Supplier to Claridge’s
The prestigious Claridge’s Hotel where WL will be in-house technical supplier
As the complete technical solution specialist, White Light has established a reputation for providing technical solutions in some of the country’s most prestigious venues. Not only is the company an approved technical supplier at Historic Royal Palaces, Unique Venues of London, Saatchi and Tate, but also offers exclusive in-house technical services to prestigious venues such as Central Hall Westminster. Adding to its increasing venue portfolio, White Light has recently been appointed as the in-house technical supplier to Claridge’s, which is regarded as one of the most luxurious hotels in the world.
Located in the heart of Mayfair, Claridge’s is synonymous with hotel luxury and impeccable service. Part of the prestigious Maybourne Hotel Group, previous guests include Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Alfred Hitchcock and current members of the Royal Family. The grade-II listed building hosts over 200 rooms along with a series of event spaces.
Similar to other venues where WL offers in-house technical services, the company’s role at Claridge’s will be providing a dedicated in-house technical team who will be on hand to support any event taking place within this prestigious location. With a £3million annual investment in the latest equipment, WL will ensure that Claridge’s is fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology.
The historic Central Hall Westminster where WL has worked for two years now.
Jonjo Glynn, WL’s Venue Services Director, comments: “We are delighted to be joining Claridge’s as their in-house technical supplier. Along with being a hotel, the building is the ideal location for anyone looking to host an event in an unrivalled location in the most luxurious settings. The spaces here include board meeting rooms, lavish ballrooms and intimate dining rooms, meaning they host a wide range of events – something we will now be providing the technical support for.
He adds: “The resources that we will be bringing to Claridge’s, both in terms of staff and equipment, will offer the hotel further options when hosting events. Our role is to ensure that each event, regardless of size, achieves its potential and we will work closely with each client from the initial briefing stages through to the final delivery; meaning each one can be completely confident in the service they are receiving”.
This month also marks two years since WL took up its first venue services role at the prestigious Central Hall Westminster, central London’s largest purpose-built conference centre. In the first year alone, WL oversaw an extensive technical installation within the venue’s numerous spaces, including a brand new audio system in The Great Hall, which is home to Europe’s largest domed roof.
Dev Week at Central Hall Westminster drew on the technical support of WL.
Jonjo states: “Due to our many years’ experience of working in a range of venues, we fully understand what technical support venues require both now and in the future. We ultimately want to ensure that every venue is being used to its maximum potential; in terms of the actual space along with its profitability”.
Richard Wilson, WL’s Director, comments: “We have already seen a marked increase in income for production services within our current managed venues. With our continued investment in the very latest technology, along with the appointment of expert staff, we are able to offer the complete technical solutions in venues of any size. The new contract at Claridge’s, along with our second year at Central Hall, are both significant indicators of our expansion into the venue services market”.
Alongside Claridge’s, WL has been appointed as the in-house technical supplier at The Connaught Hotel, which is also part of the Maybourne Hotel Group. The company plans on adding further venues to its ever-growing list over the next few months.
Photos courtesy of Capita Travel and Events, Chris Chabot and Claridge’s.
Comments Off on Leading Light with…Johanna Town – Part Two
Johanna (third row, second from left) with London Bubble.
With Joe’s advice ringing in her ears, Johanna decided to look for a new job where she could make theatre again and immediately found one at the London Bubble where, aged 21, she began work as their Chief Electrician. She recalls: “London Bubble was a great experience for me. It essentially consisted of two tents – one was a bar and the other was a 100 seat performance space. We would visit parks across London and, in rep, perform four different shows over a week before taking it all down and moving on. There was a great camaraderie and it was a time when I’d make friends who I would know for the rest of my life”. It was also during her time with London Bubble that Johanna experienced what she calls “the true potential of theatre”. She comments: “By touring productions all across the capital, I saw how theatre could be about community and people. It made me an avid believer that theatre should be seen and enjoyed by as many as possible”.
This was only a summer job for Johanna though and the bubble soon burst (excuse the pun). She quickly moved onto her next endeavour – working for Opera 80 (now the English Touring Opera). Her Chief for the first year was a certain Hugh Vanstone (who’s Leading Light article can be read here). Johanna states: “Working with Hugh was great as he genuinely taught me a great deal. He was extremely ordered and showed me how to relight a show and what that entailed. It felt like I was moving on from simply playing with lights to genuinely analysing a designer’s work”.
Opera 80 toured all across the country and played everywhere from Sadler’s Wells to Carlisle Sports Centre. It would prove to be yet another learning curve for Johanna: “Wherever we visited, we had to use in-house kit. What this meant was I had to redesign the shows every single week to suit the particular venues. I had to think on my feet and really work within the limitations in front of me. In a way, it was better than a formal education as it was practical experience. That’s what I personally believe drama schools need more of. Theatre, especially lighting design, is a profession that you learn through practice as opposed to reading books. Also, by working, you get to meet some amazing professionals and make really useful contacts which stand you in great stead for the future”.
The Liverpool Playhouse where Johanna was Head of Lighting
After two seasons with Opera 80 in the winter and the London Bubble during the summer, Johanna was returning back to her North West roots as she accepted the role as Head of Lighting at the Liverpool Playhouse. This meant she would be lighting every show at the venue apart from the Christmas production and it’s a period which Johanna looks back on with fond admiration. She comments: “This was probably my favourite time during my entire career. I was literally able to experiment every month and try out ideas – from a new mad mix of colours – one of which is now used as an actual gel! – to experimenting with unusual light sources. I literally ‘had the keys’ to the building and could do whatever I wanted when I wanted”. This would often lead to Johanna becoming lost in her own world, experimenting into the night to the point where she would have to lock up by herself (she still firmly believes that the Playhouse is haunted). This period in Liverpool also allowed Johanna to grow as an artist, as she was able to test herself and push boundaries; including lighting a show in the theatre’s studio with just two lights! Johanna states: “Similar to the Royal Exchange, there was a real family feel to the Playhouse. Everyone knew one another and lived locally. We worked hard but played harder. It was also the first theatre where I had genuine support and a strong team of staff. Together we could really work to create something special”.
Johanna and co during her Royal Court days.
During her time at the Liverpool Playhouse, Johanna developed a reputation for being able to manage a technical team while simultaneously creating provocative, innovative work. So much so that when the position for Head of Lighting came up at the Royal Court Theatre in London, she was asked to apply for it. She recalls: “I actually missed the application deadline but I got a phone call to ask me to consider applying still. I did and for my interview, I had collated a full portfolio of design work. That said, they specifically told me that they weren’t looking for a lighting designer. So when I was offered the job, I initially turned it down as I very much wanted to focus on designing shows! Yet after several long conversations with the then Production Manager Bo Barton, I was persuaded to accept the position. Thanks to Bo’s insistence, I actually made the best move of my career. Initially I saw it as a short term move as the long-term goal was still to be a full-time lighting designer. 17 years later…”.
Johanna’s main role initially at the Court was to help maintain the building. In her spare time, she began to freelance on London’s fringe scene. In 1992, she worked on The Crackwalker by Judith Thompson at London’s Gate Theatre which starred Kathy Burke. It was a show that was to lead to Johanna’s big break. She recalls: “I was really happy with how the show went and it had received great reviews. Then one day Richard Wilson (best known for playing Victor Meldrew in One Foot in the Grave) walked into the Royal Court office saying he needed a lighting designer for a production called Women Laughing by Michael Wall that he was directing at the Royal Court Upstairs. He said he’d seen a show at the Gate where he thought the lighting design was very impressive yet he couldn’t remember the name of the play. When he started to describe it, I realised he was talking about The Crackwalker! At first I wasn’t sure if I should say anything. I then finally plucked up the courage to raise my hand and tell him it was my design! As soon as he heard that, he immediately offered me the role”. This was the start of a long collaboration with Richard, who called upon Johanna’s services for numerous shows, including seven more at the Royal Court and most recently Fracked! at Chichester Festival Theatre (which is about to tour the UK).
My Name is Rachel Corrie at the Royal Court Theatre, which transferred to the Playhouse Theatre in the West End.
Following her work on Women Laughing, Johanna began to light shows at the Court and during her time there would design more than 50 productions. During her tenure, she worked with four of the theatre’s most influential artistic directors: Max Stafford-Clark, Stephen Daldry, Ian Rickson, and Dominic Cooke. Of the various productions she worked on, she marks The Kitchen (directed by Daldry), Pale Horse (directed by Ian Rickson), The Steward of Christendom (directed by Stafford-Clark) and My Name is Rachel Corrie (directed by Alan Rickman) as her personal highlights. She comments: “Seeing how all of these directors worked was obviously a privilege as they create such provocative and memorable theatre. However what I really enjoyed was being part of the rehearsal process and watching how they all worked with actors differently and creatively”. Johanna was also at the Court during the late 90s when the venue was being refurbished and temporarily moved into two West End venues. Johanna states: “I was barely thirty and I was running two West End buildings split into three different venues as well as making a significant contribution to the design of both the main house and studio spaces at the new Royal Court. It was a great feeling to manage the lighting staff for three venues and oversea so many productions alongside designing a new building; especially at a time when theatre lighting technology was becoming so exciting. It was certainly a slightly surreal time in my career!”.
King Lear at the Royal Exchange which was broadcast on BBC Four
Similar to her predicament at the Liverpool Playhouse, Johanna eventually decided that she needed a new challenge and left the Royal Court in 2008. She comments: “It was definitely time to move on to pastures new. I’d had a brilliant time at the Court but I had only expected to be there for a couple of years. I wanted to move back into being freelance and to work on lighting a wider variety of shows, not just within one space. I told myself if I don’t do it now then I never will”. Johanna then went straight into lighting shows with directors she’d previously worked with. However, she was also very keen to work with up and coming new talent. She comments: “I told my agent that whilst I can work on bigger productions, it was important to me that I worked with younger directors who were just starting out in theatre. I’ve always found this inspiring; new younger directors and designers push you harder and make you look at theatre differently. It’s also important to remember that many of these people are the future of our industry”.
Over the next few years, Johanna found herself working on a whole host of shows. In the West End, she lit Dear Lupin, What the Butler Saw, Some Like it Hip Hop and Betrayal. She’s also ventured stateside to New York where she has lit productions of Haunted, My Name is Rachel Corrie and Guantanamo. She has worked extensively with Out of Joint theatre company and still works regularly with the Royal Exchange; her most recent credit there being King Lear, which was screened on BBC Four over the festive period. She comments: “Since leaving the Court, I’ve worked in some of the West End’s largest venues yet I have also lit shows for companies such as Pentabus who tour new writing in extremely rural areas that don’t normally receive theatre. I love the variety of productions I get to work on and the range of artists I get to collaborate with”.
Samantha Bond and Tim McInnerny in ‘What the Butler Saw’ at the Vaudeville Theatre.
As one of the leading lighting designers with an extraordinary wealth of experience, it only makes sense for me to ask Johanna what advice she has for all the budding lighting designers out there. It’s almost as if she has her answer prepared: “Get out there and get involved. Work for people under any circumstance and ensure you’re gaining experience all the time. Similarly, see as much theatre as you can. I still think back to shows I saw at the Royal Exchange when I was a teenager so you should never underestimate the influence a show can have on you. It’s also very important to remember that this is an industry you need to be passionate about. If you’re not passionate about theatre then you won’t last five minutes”.
Our meeting is now drawing to a close and Johanna has to go prepare her next show The Star which she’s working on at the Liverpool Playhouse of all places. As we depart, I cheekily ask at what age she thinks she’ll eventually stop focusing lights and start putting up her feet/hitting the fairways; especially considering the fact that she’s achieved positions and accolades that most budding LDs could only aspire towards. She comments: “I can’t imagine myself ever retiring. I know non theatre friends who are literally counting down the clock, waiting to retire. That’s not me. I want to work forever and keep pushing myself and creating original designs until I can’t anymore”. And from what I’ve gathered in my two hours with Johanna, that certainly won’t be any time soon….
Photos courtesy of Joel Ryan, Johanna Town, John Burke, Jonathan Keenan, Stephen Cummiskey, Visit Liverpool and Yvonne Arnaud.
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