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HSL Supplies Magic Lamps for Aladdin
HSL is injecting some old and new magic lanterns and lighting effects to the phenomenally successful nine-week run of ‘Aladdin’ at Newcastle Theatre Royal for Qdos Productions.
It is lighting designer Ben Cracknell’s sixth consecutive panto season at the Theatre Royal and HSL have also been supplying kit for the same duration. Cracknell is known for his inventive and slightly non-conventional approach to designs - and keeps upping the ante in terms of panto production values year on year, with 2007 being no exception!
Since a young child, Cracknell has always been fascinated by the whole spectacle, drama and ephemerality of panto, and the challenge now is always bringing those same emotional responses to a new audience. "Panto is one of the hardest shows to light because it encompasses so many different genres - comedy, tragedy, musical, theatre, dance and rock 'n' roll all rolled into one," he says.
This Aladdin show also includes 3D projection for key elements including the magic carpet and the genie, which really throws the action right out into the audience and into people's faces - eliciting great excitement and reaction.
HSL is supplying all the moving lights for the show, along with equipment for another 10 Qdos productions around the UK, from Aberdeen to Belfast and Llandudno to Northampton.
HSL’s Mike Docksey, who has been working extensively on the Qdos shows since the beginning of October, says: “It is a great pleasure to be associated with such a prestigious organisation as Qdos. Mark Sherwood, head of production and his team of LDs and technicians have been efficient and enthusiastic at all stages of the project. I am looking forward to building on what we have achieved together for many years to come.”
Two Robe ColorSpot 700E ATs are rigged at the front of the circle doing set and cloth washes and other specials. Fourteen Robe ColorSpot 575E ATs are divided up with four at FOH on the pros position and the other 10 onstage, joined by six Robe ColorWash 575E AT fixtures on the pipe ends of LX bars 1, 2 and 3, also used for a myriad of effects. With moving lights on the rig, Cracknell has enjoyed a great deal of flexibility. Aladdin is a vibrant colourful show and although you never see the lights move, they help keep the action flowing and the attention spans active for two hours.
HSL had special hieroglyphic ‘texturing’ gobos made up for Cracknell. These are used extensively for illuminations around the auditorium in addition to LED PARs placed around the pros for blinder effects. The gobos are also used on the stage, for creating wacky effects in Twanky's laundry scenes and for a caricature of the lead actor’s face, surrounded by hearts, for a comedy love song rendition by Aladdin for the Princess.
HSL is also supplying four Martin Atomic strobes and 18 Pulsar ChromaZone PAR 36 LED units, plus six rotating "helicopter" beam lights, three stationed each side of the pros, 24 strings of 10 metre festoon and egg festoon and ZR33 smoke machines. The rest of the production lighting is pulled from the Theatre Royal’s extensive stock. The show was programmed and is run from their Strand 550 console by chief LX Nathan Reynard.
Reynard says: "We've done a lot of work with HSL here, and they are always efficient and friendly to deal with. Anything we need is turned around really quickly, and the kit is consistently well maintained. HSL offer the first class service that you really need from a hire company."
Sound is a Martin Audio system being supplied by Mac Sound from Manchester, mixed by Stuart Middleton. This year, Ben Cracknell has also designed ‘Snow White’ in Darlington.
2nd January 2008
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