KV2 Audio on the road with UK theatre tours
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These and many more productions are currently gracing stages throughout the UK using a variety of KV2 Audio point source systems.
According to Andy Sharman, head of sound on the current UK tour of Kinky Boots, the real advantage of using a point source rig, especially on tour, is its adaptability. “Every theatre is different,” he says. “Using this design of loudspeaker allows us to adjust the configuration from place to place really easily, while staying within the designer’s original vision. It may be a bit old-school, but in reality, if there’s a part of the room that we need to cover, we just install a loudspeaker and point it there! It sounds too simple to be true, but it works.”
The Kinky Boots touring set up deploys two KV2 ESR215s and four EX15s on the proscenium, two EX26s and a single EX12 above centre-stage plus one VHD2-18K subwoofer per side. “This gives us even coverage throughout and plenty of headroom for a very lively musical production,” affirms Sharman.
Morgan Rogers is Sound No 1 on the touring version of Motown: The Musical. “This is my first production using a KV2 point-source system, and I’m really enjoying it,” she admits. “We’ve moved it a couple of times now, and it’s easy to move and sounds great. I was a little concerned about how we’d manage in the Edinburgh Playhouse which is a notoriously tricky venue from an audio point of view, but we’ve got it more than covered.”
Sound designer, Richard Brooker, is a big fan of KV2 Audio point source systems and has designed a vast number of successful shows using KV2 including a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’sTwelfth Night that enjoyed a triumphant run at the Young Vic late last year. “KV2 manufacture an incredible range of products that have been my go-to speakers since I first tried them back in 2013,” states Brooker. “With a coherent, open and transparent sound, KV2 speakers pack a bigger punch than their actual size right across the board. My personal favourites are the EX range of active speakers which give me the solutions to tricky requirements on any show.”
“Given the shape of the magnificent set that effectively placed the audience on three sides at three different levels, Twelfth Night was a particularly tricky show! I didn’t hesitate to specify KV2.”
Autograph Sound’s Duncan Bell comments, “It’s about choice - line array systems have had a massive impact in theatre and elsewhere but point source technology is an invaluable tool for us, especially as companies like KV2 continue to push the point source design envelope, offering sound designers more choice than ever before.
“Our job as a rental company is to supply sound designers with the equipment they need to realise their design for the show. However, for all but the biggest touring shows, producers have to manage increasing commercial pressures that affect load-in schedules, truck space, crew costs and rental budgets without compromising the quality of their productions. The point source solution addresses these concerns and offers a commercially viable option for us as a rental company, so ultimately, everyone benefits.”
(Jim Evans)
