Kensington Gardens in London was a favourite haunt of author J M Barrie, and provided much of the inspiration for his most popular work, the story of the boy who never grew up, Peter Pan. Now the park is playing host to a spectacular new theatrical telling of that story in a newly created 1000-seat tent.
The production brings together a creative team from across all areas of theatre, including director Ben Harrison, a leading exponent of site-specific theatre and artistic director of the Grid Iron Theatre company, and choreographer Fleur Darkin, plus set designer William Dudley and lighting designer Mark Henderson, familiar names from the National Theatre, large scale musicals and more.
Peter Pan gives Dudley the opportunity to expand on the dramatic computer-generated virtual environments for which he has become well known since The Coast of Utopia in 2002; that production used a screen wrapping 180 degrees, and The Woman In White later extended the screen to 220 degrees around the cast. With the Peter Pan audience wrapped around the stage, now expands to a full 360 degrees, projecting onto screens above the audience and wrapping around the tent.
To then bring life to the cast and scenery on stage from a limited range of lighting positions, lighting designer Mark Henderson turned to lighting supplier White Light to supply a diverse and comprehensive range of lighting equipment, including a core moving light rig of Clay Paky Alpha Wash 1200 washlights, Vari-Lite VL1000TS and VL3500Q framing spotlights, Martin Mac700 Wash and Spots, and Mac TW1 tungsten washlights.
Complementing these are a conventional rig of over 100 ETC Source Four profiles and Source Four Pars, Rainbow colour scrollers, CCT Minuette Fresnels, Birdies plus four High End Dataflash strobes and two Unique haze machines. Control for the entire rig is from an ETC Eos console driving ETC dimmers, the console programmed by Nick Simmons.
Working with Mark Henderson on the show are a team led by production electrician Fraser Hall, with Richard Bullimore serving as the show’s production manager.
Peter Pan opened on the 10th June for the summer season and further information about the show can be found on-line at www.visitlondon.com/peterpan.
Peter Pan is just one of many shows – theatrical and other – currently using equipment from White Light, others include the new hit musical Sister Act, the long-running hits Billy Elliot, Chicago, Les Misérables and Dirty Dancing, plays such as War Horse and Hamlet, and tours including We Will Rock You. Further information about the full range of products and services offered by White Light, including lighting hire, sales, installation and service, can be found at www.WhiteLight.Ltd.uk.
Photo courtesy of Simon Annand
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