"This has been an exciting year for us as we have consolidated our working arrangements with some of Edinburgh's biggest venues and also joined forces with some exciting new names," says Black Light's head of company development, Phil Haldane. "This was definitely the largest festival for us, so far, in terms of the volume of kit and number of venues served. We were therefore delighted that everything we sent out worked perfectly and our help line went unused."
Among the highlights of Black Light's Fringe was the supply and delivery of all the lighting and staging used by the Pleasance, which had multiple theatre spaces up and running during the festival. Black light also supplied all staging to C Venues, which promoted 200 shows by more than 120 companies - the largest programme of theatre on the Fringe. Both of these companies are Black Light's long-standing Fringe partners; another was Edinburgh's Dance Base for whom Black Light supplied a full package of technical equipment and support.
"The inventory of stock we supplied to the Festival and Fringe makes you realise what a giant event it is and how well set up we are to supply what our clients need, often at the last minute," says Stephen Reid, Black Light's head of hires and events. Reid's team supplied equipment that included 400 + profiles, 300+ Fresnel, 200 parcans, 350 floods, 125 moving lights and 1500 ways of dimming. "We don't just supply equipment through," Stephen adds. "We also supply technical support and help clients programme, install and operate the equipment they hire."
Showing the diversity of clients Black Light helped, the company also supported and sponsored Grid Iron's performance of What Remains. Black Light also supplied equipment to the British Council, the Just a Tonic comedy showcase and the Edinburgh University Student's Association, amongst others.
(Jim Evans)
