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HSL and their Amazing Technicolor Service
Blackburn-based HSL has supplied the lighting rig for the hugely popular long running Bill Kenwright UK touring production of ‘Joseph & His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’. This smash hit version is now in its second year and still selling out nationwide.
At the outset, the sales deal required the supplying company to additionally offer a five star service and maintenance support contract once the show was up and running. HSL was the only company able to offer this and so won the competitive tender . . . and have subsequently been delivering consistently.
The show’s original lighting design was created by Nick Richings. The re-lights are being undertaken by Simon Deary who also operates the show, and has been with it since this incarnation of the Rice/Lloyd Webber classic hit the road in 2003.
“Working with HSL in this way is just like having a hire company on the tour,” explains Dearly. “Whatever we might need in terms of repairs, maintenance or spare parts is dealt with quickly and efficiently - mostly within 24 hours. I can’t emphasise how vital that is to a show like this - every piece of kit is worked really hard.”
‘Joseph’ is an extremely colourful and aesthetically pleasing show to the eye, featuring set and costume design by Sean Cavanagh and lighting plays an absolutely essential part in the drama and action of the plot.
The rig is spread across approximately five LX bars at each venue. There are three Martin MAC 2000s on LX Bar1 downstage, used extensively for onstage gobo and effects work. They are joined by four MAC 500s, four 600s on LX2 plus another four 600s on LX1. Six Martin Pro400 are used to up-light the set ‘portals’ and for various other colour changing tasks.
In addition there are around 150 PAR cans of various types, eight Thomas 4-cell cyc units and seven Coda 1k floods. HSL supplied pin spots that are embedded into the set floor, and serve as the jail ‘bars’ for the ‘Close Every Door’ number.
For specials, there are four Martin Raptor disco effects and three High End Systems Dataflash strobes, two Jem Pro smoke machines, two Unique hazers and two fans.
HSL specified and supplied a customised Avolites ART dimmer rack. They also designed and built one of their special bespoke mains distros for the tour, which Deary declares “is simply the best distro I’ve ever seen.”
Deary is using a Hog 1000 console for control.
When this touring production re-started in 2003, the intention was to give the show a fresh and cleaner West End style look – whilst retaining some of the original rock ‘n’ roll hallmarks of the original rig (Joseph has now been running over 25 years!).
This fuelled the decision to buy an all-new lighting rig. HSL supplied all fixtures to the latest HSE regulations and this is when Richings decided to introduce the MAC 2ks to emulate the new effects recently introduced to the West End production.
On tour, the MAC 2ks are also used as profiles, specials and key-lighters replacing much of the work that would have been undertaken by followspots a few years ago.
Thanks to the excellent service and attention paid to the tour by HSL, says Deary, the rig looks every bit as shiny and new as it did two years ago, despite the rigours of the road! “The support really has been outstanding,” he enthuses. “Apart from the superb, competent and practical technical back up, HSL is also a very friendly and approachable company. You can get through to the person you need to deal with directly without enduring endless layers of phone holding, and whatever action needed is immediate - without fail.”
The tour’s Martin/Yamaha PM1D audio rig was purchased from Orbital Sound. FOH engineer is Gavin Ellis and sound is designed by Jon Miller. Company manager is Mark Wilkinson, David Stothard for Bill Kenwright is the production manager, Eileen Connelly is the production LX and Toby Jarvis the production Carpenter
11th May 2005
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