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National Theatre Casts MAC TW1
Martin Professional’s new Tungsten automated wash fixture, the MAC TW1, has been chosen by the National Theatre for its touring production of The History Boys after which they will be permanently installed in the National’s Lyttelton Theatre in London.
The History Boys, the multi award-winning play by Alan Bennett, originally opened two years ago at the Lyttelton. After touring the UK, and then internationally, it enjoyed a successful run on Broadway earlier this year. Another UK tour kicked off this past August – this time with the warmth of Martin’s Tungsten halogen wash as an important element of the rig. The History Boys will play at Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End before the TW1’s settle into their home at the Lyttelton.
Simon Fraulo, chief lighting technician at the National Theatre, reproduced the lighting for the tour, making adjustments to lighting designer Mark Henderson’s original design (who, incidentally, has also specified TW1’s for a revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, The Sound of Music, which will open at the London Palladium on 14th November.) Mark won a 2006 Tony Award for ‘Best Lighting Design of a Play’ for the Broadway production.
“It’s safe to say that we are very impressed with the unit,” comments Simon Fraulo. “I’ve opened it up and it’s a stunning piece of kit. First and foremost we chose the MAC TW1 because it is silent. Our director, Nicholas Hytner, is very studious about silent technology and can’t bear fan noise. At the opening in Birmingham he was very happy and very impressed with the fact that he couldn’t hear any fan noise. As far as movement goes, it is also exceedingly quiet.
“Secondly, it is very accurate in reproducing its pan and tilt position and is programmed very quickly. The next crucial element is colour mixing. If I mix 201 to one unit and copy those DMX across the other units for example, they are absolutely identical. And I like how I can get from one colour to another without passing through unpleasantness. At one point in the show I have to get from 201 to Rosco 85 and unlike another Tungsten fixture I have used, with the TW1 I don’t have to go through a disgusting colour, which is just fantastic. The zoom capability is something that has really impressed me as well.
“I haven’t had a need to use any of the fixture’s internal timing channels, the light moves so smoothly I don’t have to worry about it. Likewise with the colour mixing. I do live colour changes and live moves and they are really nice. And the light is bright. That’s another consideration obviously and the fact that they are Tungsten is just a joy.”
The National Theatre owns 14 MAC TW1’s with 11 and a spare used on the tour. Simon has them located at several positions - on stage, in the overhead rig and at FOH with trim heights varying but averaging about 7.5 meters. “The problem we had when we originally did this production is that the top of the set is covered with fluorescent lights and we couldn’t actually have any generic lighting overhead to light the show conventionally, so it was basically all lit from proscenium and on stage perch positions coming in from the sides and side booms and a bit of Front of House on a proscenium boom position.
“Overhead we can flood the TW1’s out or isolate and highlight areas. I use them to focus people’s attention, really. On the whole they are used for wash lighting but we also drop the whole lighting down and pick out people for a monologue. We’re not bringing somebody out on a hard spot or using a PC type special on them, but use the washlight to do a large spot down and change colour. I’m also using the internal dimmers which save us a lot of cabling and aggravation.” Lighting control is from a Strand 500 series console.
The History Boys is currently playing a busy seven shows a week schedule across the UK with the MAC TW1’s having ‘no problems at all’ according to Simon. The TW1’s were supplied to the National Theatre by White Light.
Michael Atkinson, senior project manager, National Theatre Lighting Resources Department, added: “The TW1’s most attractive features are its quiet operation, even colour mixing and the ability to switch between internal and external dimming. So far they have been fantastic and done just what it says on the can.”
17th October 2006
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