HSL has been involved with supplying C venues for several years. Project manager Mike Oates says: "It's great to support the vibrancy, energy and enthusiasm of new theatre, and Edinburgh is a world showcase for some of the best and most innovative future comedy, dance, theatre and musicals."
Lighting for C venues is being co-ordinated by production manager Gareth Edwards and head of technical/chief LX Andrew Grant. Lighting designs for all the different spaces have been created over the years by C venues' artistic director (and freelance lighting designer) Hartley T A Kemp and by lighting designers James Whiteside and Richard Williamson. They are based on flexibility and adaptability, with each venue hosting several different shows - from drama to dance to physical theatre.
Each space has a basic rig of ETC Source Four profiles, Juniors and PARs, plus Acclaim fresnels, with at 18-48 dimmer channels. Eighteen moving lights are deployed across the three largest theatres - C -1, C +3 and C Too.
HSL dispatched Lewis Beal to help co-ordinate the get ins and rigging at each venue, and also to provide a 'basic training' for some of the C venues crew on how to use and look after the lighting kit for the three-week festival period. Approximately 50 operators and crew work across their Festival technical teams, chosen from volunteers who are recruited throughout the year.
Andrew Grant comments: "Dealing with HSL has been brilliant throughout. The gear arrived extremely well prepped and in very good condition, all the road cases were precisely marked up with which venue they were destined for, which saved lots of initial time. Lewis was really excellent with our crew, who varied in their levels of knowledge and experience in lighting, but were all very keen to learn. It has also been very efficient having a single point of contact for all the kit."
(Jim Evans)
