Tag Archive: Robert Day

1. White Light Conjures Lighting for Magic Goes Wrong

   23 January 2020 10:38 Leave a Comment

   

   White Light has supplied the lighting for Magic Goes Wrong, which recently opened at the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End.

   Created by the award-winning Mischief Theatre and magic legends Penn & Teller, Magic Goes Wrong focuses on a hapless gang of magicians trying to host a charity fundraiser – with hilarious results. It features a lighting design by David Howe, who is lighting several of Mischief Theatre’s other shows. He comments: “The basis of the show is that it’s very much a slick variety show where everything should technically run smooth. However, the magicians and acts who perform aren’t the most skilful which results in everything going wrong… As ever with Mischief, it’s a very slick and fast-paced show. Set Designer Will Bowen created a very ‘variety-looking’ stage, complete with glossy floor, big theatrical tabs and glitter-drapes. There is also a large video wall at the back of the space which is used to introduce the acts as well as add texture, with a brilliant video design by Duncan McLean.

   He continues: “Taking all of this into consideration, my design has three goals. The first was to support the ‘variety show’ feel, with strong washes of colour, lots of comedy face light yet still be suitable for camera work. The second was ensuring that the portals and flown drapes received lots of lighting in order to make them ‘zing’ and ensure we maintain that light entertainment feel we’re used to seeing on TV. Thirdly, there was the wider brief of lighting the various tricks and keeping them ‘magical’ whilst still allowing the comedy to shine”.

   

   Knowing the look and feel he had to achieve, David approached WL who is also supplying the Mischief Theatre tour of Comedy About a Bank Robbery. He explains: “I worked closely with WL’s Customer Service Team Leader Andy Cullen and Customer Service Account Handler Jade Johnson who were extremely helpful when it came to choosing the appropriate fixtures. Due to the theatre space being tight, I knew I needed a versatile rig. As such, I drew on the Martin MAC Encores, Martin Aura XBs, MAC Viper Washes, Clay Paky Sharpy Washes, Chroma-Q Colour Force 48 LED Battens, GLP Impression X4 Bar 20s, ETC ColorSource Spot LEDs and Source Fours. These worked perfectly for both the production and venue’s requirements. Whilst it is a loud show, at times, we need total silence in order for some of the brilliant jokes to work. With this rig, we can truly achieve that and help move both the action and comedy forward.

   He adds: “We programmed the lighting on an ETC Eos Ti Console and the show runs on a Gio. I knew the control aspect of the show was going to be important as so many different elements are all linked together. Lighting additionally triggers video content and switching for cameras and playback. This, in turn, at times is triggered from sound and keeps sync with time-code, Midi and even the old-fashioned Stage Manager calling cues. Lighting also, on occasion, triggers a wide range of set and prop items that move, swing, drop and add to the comedy, so it has to be a tight and secure network”. 

   

   Whilst the rig featured a range of fixtures that played equally important roles, there was one in particular that was pivotal: the followspot. David explains: “The humble followspot is obviously not the most innovative fixture but was an essential item for the style of this production. I wanted a central followspot position in the upper circle so we had to work closely with Nimax Theatres in creating a position which avoided losing precious seats and didn’t cause issues with the building and stringent listing issues. So we found the old followspot box that had been (some years ago) converted into a staff bathroom and repurposed it. The result, thankfully, looks incredible and I’m grateful to the theatre for being so accommodating!”. 

   Prior to its West End run, the show ran The Lowry theatre in Salford. David comments: “With a show like this, it’s forever evolving. The space in Manchester was quite similar to the West End in width so this acted as a good template. That said, the show was constantly changing in previews so the equipment set-up has to be such that we can re-light a scene or create something entirely new on the spot which allows the writers (who also are currently performing) to see how the show plays with those changes. It’s incredible how much the content of the show has changed since those initial previews in Salford; which of course has completely changed aspects of my design.”

   

   Following its recent opening, Magic Goes Wrong has just announced that it will extend its West End run until August 2020.

   David concludes: “As always, it’s brilliant working with the Mischief team and contributing to a show that creates two hours of non-stop laughter every night. It was also great working with WL once again and their ever-helpful Hire team; especially Andy and Jade”.

   Photos courtesy of Robert Day.

   Lighting Team Credits
   
   Lighting Designer – David Howe
   Programmer – Stuart Cross
   Lead Production Electrician – Ed Locke
   Prod Electricians – Nick Wooley, Theo Chadha, Barry Abbots, Joe Crossley, Alex Matthews.
   Assistant Lighting Designer – Alex Musgrave (Part of the ALD Lumiere Scheme for 2019)
   Followspot Operator – Virginie Serneels
   Production Manager – Tom Nixon 

2. 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