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Electro Kabuki Helps Ensure the Drama in the Award Winning Black Watch
Ensuring that a kabuki drop will not fail and ruin the dramatic effect of a theatrical production or event, the remotely operated Electro Kabuki from Magnet Schultz guarantees that drapes, cables and dummies will be released on cue every time. Currently being used in the National Theatre of Scotland's multi-award-winning play Black Watch, the Electro Kabuki ensures that the on-stage drama is maintained without a glitch, night after night.
First performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2006, Black Watch is based on interviews conducted by Gregory Burke with former soldiers who served in Iraq. Viewed through the eyes of those on the ground, Black Watch reveals what it means to be part of the legendary Scottish regiment and a soldier in the Iraq war.
When director, John Tiffany, created a scene where three Black Watch soldiers are blown up by an Iraqi bomb, he wanted to use a kabuki drop to reveal the soldiers suspended in the air. Left to deputy production manager Chris Hay to create the technical effect, Chris was not only faced with the problem of the audience being in traverse, thereby making a manual kabuki drop impossible, but also the potential problem of the kabuki drop failing.
Turning to major theatrical retailer Flint Hire & Supply for a solution, it specified the Electro Kabuki from Magnet Schultz.
"There have now been over 200 performances of Black Watch performed throughout the UK and overseas and the Electro Kabuki has never failed," said Chris Hay. "Instead of worrying whether the drape will fall, all that needs to be done is for a button to be pressed and the Electro Kabuki does the rest."
A total of 10 Electro Kabuki units and firing boxes are used in the Black Watch production. Following the sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival, the National Theatre of Scotland decided to purchase a second set of Electro Kabukis for the touring version which has appeared in theatres in Australia, New Zealand and throughout the USA.
"The support we have received from Flints and Magnet Schultz has been excellent," said Chris Hay. "We are now looking at buying additional Electro Kabukis for other projects being contemplated by the National Theatre of Scotland," he concluded.
The Electro Kabuki has been designed to reliably release weights of up to 50kg and is suitable for applications where the requirement is to discharge or drop drapes, dummies or cables on cue as a straight drop or at any angle. Also suitable for very light loads, the Electro Kabuki is supplied off-the-shelf with all elements ready to connect and operate having been assembled and tested prior to despatch.
Comprising the Electro Kabuki mechanism, compact, hand held firing unit, interconnecting cables and splitter box, the load to be released is attached to the mechanism's hook arm and released by means of a clever spring system when the ‘energise to release' function is applied to the unit (an ‘energise to hold' system is also available). A safety catch prevents premature load release and enables the mechanism to be tested prior to the show without releasing the load.
Using standard voltages 24v DC, 110v AC and 230v AC, the weatherproof Electro Kabuki is supplied with quick-fit, weatherproof ‘supply' and ‘link' cable connectors so that the mechanism can be daisy chained in order to drop large drapes or items. The Electro Kabuki has two integral mounting points for simple attachment to scaffold poles using standard half couplings.
In Picture: Currently being used in the National Theatre of Scotland's multi-award-winning play Black Watch, the Electro Kabuki ensures that the on-stage drama is maintained without a glitch, night after night.
23rd July 2008
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