The Duchess of Malfi, which opened at the National Theatre in late January, is just one of many current West End plays which Autograph is working on. Sound for the production was designed by one of Autograph's team of experienced designers Simon Baker, a former National Theatre sound supervisor who was specifically requested to work on the production by director Phyllida Lloyd. This was the first production Baker had designed at the National since joining Autograph in 1999.
The modern dress version of the play features a host of sound effects and subtle uses of music and sound, drawing heavily on reverb and echo effects. Baker is using the National's house system of Electro-Voice and d&b speakers with a Cadac console, and Autograph has supplied additional Meyer CP10 equalizers, Drawmer compressors and Sennheiser SK50 and S5000 radio mics to reinforce some of the dialogue. "I worked in close collaboration with composer Gary Yershon to come up with the sound for this production," says Baker. "This presented some interesting challenges. Phyllida likes to keep everything very loose and fluid until as late as possible, so everything stays in component form until the very last minute. There's also a large two-and-a-half minute video sequence, and keeping up with the many video changes that required was quite demanding."
Also opening in early 2003 was Edinburgh Festival Fringe hit Iron at the Royal Court, with a sound system designed by Autograph sound designer Matt McKenzie, and Autograph is also working on Auntie and Me at the Wyndhams, My Brilliant Divorce at the Gielgud Theatre and Mum's The Word at the Albery Theatre. Opening in March at the Young Vic is Simply Heavenly, a play set in Harlem in the 1950s with sound designed by Autograph's Nick Lidster.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, West End hit The Play What I Wrote is set to open in New York's Lyceum Theater on Broadway on 30 March, again with a system designed by Simon Baker.
(Lee Baldock)
