Taking advantage of developments in lighting technology (the moving light was still on the test bench in 1981), Eaton has devised an all-new lighting design for Cats in Madrid. In addition, his lighting company, Howard Eaton Lighting Ltd, has provided a variety of special effects equipment for the show, including fibre optic cloths, fog machines and pyrotechnic hardware. He explains: "We've worked very closely with Fourth Phase on this project. Having built up a relationship with the company over the years, I know how reliable and responsive Fourth Phase is. It took Alan Thomson and his team less than 10 days to complete the job - from getting our order to delivering it safely to us in Madrid."
Eaton is something of an old hand when it comes to lighting Cats. He served as production electrician for the original show alongside Alan Thomson, who was then chief electrician at The London Theatre. He also lit the New York and Sydney versions, and the American tour. "Things have changed a great deal since that first production. Advances in technology mean the equipment we use is capable of doing far more than it could have in the eighties. The effects we are able to achieve now couldn't have been imagined back then - Fourth Phase has all the latest equipment, so bringing the lighting for the show into the 21st century was easy!"
(Lee Baldock)
