"Pacific Overtures is a fantastic musical which requires subtle amplification," says Autograph sound designer Nick Lidster. "Choosing a loudspeaker system for this type of reinforcement, while providing the auditorium with even, 360-degree coverage is extremely difficult. These problems are made worse at the Donmar as it has no obvious loudspeaker rigging positions, and this particular production is unusual because it is performed in-the-round, with the stage in the centre of the theatre."
The Swedish-manufactured LDS700 loudspeaker is a 1400mm high box containing a continuous (1400mm long) ribbon loudspeaker designed to stack vertically to create a true 'line array' source. "As with all ribbon speakers, the LDS700 is slightly underpowered and this limits the types of show it can comfortably amplify," continues Lidster. "However it is much more robust and punchy than its predecessors. For old-style shows requiring minimal amplification it is perfect. We were able to put LLWs in each corner of the Donmar auditorium and have each column firing diagonally across the stage and into the opposite facing corners of the room. This allowed each seating block to face its own left and right loudspeaker system, which gave the amplification tremendous balance and clarity."
Lidster's design for Pacific Overtures includes eight LDS700s, Crown K2 amplifiers, an XTA DP226 loudspeaker control system, a Cadac E-type mixing desk, 12 Sennheiser SK50/1046 radio microphones using DPA 4060 mics for the actors and Neumann and Schoeps mics for the band.
Sondheim musicals appear particularly suited to LLW's ribbon technology. Autograph first used them on a production of Follies at the Royal Festival Hall last year designed by Autograph MD and sound designer Terry Jardine, who is now designing the sound for On Your Toes at the same venue inpartnership with Autograph's Simon Baker. Both On Your Toes and Follies are recreations of previous productions mounted at the Leicester Haymarket Theatre and directed by Paul Kerryson.
(Ruth Rossington)
