Blackout's project manager Kevin Monks collaborated with Nick Levitt, and set designer Bill Laslett to help transform Parken into a magical fairytale environment. Working to Laslett's exacting specifications, Blackout supplied over 3km of silver voile. Specified for its silky texture and semi-translucency, it played a major role in his design, used by Blackout to create four giant "icicle' columns on stage.
Over 500m of fabric were deployed to create each column, which were manufactured by Blackout's team of seamstresses under the guidance of Jenny Clarke and Sandra Flaxman at their south London base. The desired effect was achieved by creating six concentric circles of slashed fabric starting at 9m in diameter and 4m drop on the outer edge, leading to a central solid tube 3m wide by 18m drop. All suspended from a circular truss and rolled aluminium tubes, also supplied by Blackout.
Their effect was maximized by two large fans, each 4m in diameter, supplied by HSL Productions via pryo specialists Machine Shop. The fans were focussed on the cloth to make it gyrate and swirl, adding movement to the set. The semi-opaque quality of the fabric ensured the "icicles" were used as props to evoke different scenes for the visually spectacular stage interpretations of Hans Christian Andersen's fairytales. Lit inside and out by lighting director Al Gurdon, the columns set the scene; be it enormous trees in a forest, seaweed in the depths of the ocean or burning flames or icicles in a snow covered landscape.
Blackout also supplied another 500m of silver voile for two giant swags, which were suspended stage left and right to frame the set. Another 1000m was deployed as a stunning backdrop, which also acted as a glittering canvas for the myriad of lighting effects. Set designer Bill Laslett commented: "Blackout's team did a phenomenal job. We were working in extremely cold temperatures to very tight deadlines. Blackout's can-do approach was inspiring, I'm very impressed."
(Lee Baldock)
