The DigiHoists were specified by the National Theatre's rigging resources supervisor, Matthew Wheeler.
The National Theatre (as it is generally known) is one of the UK's two most prominent public funded theatres, and is located on the South Bank of the Thames in central London.
It has three theatres: the amphitheatre-shaped Olivier seating 1100; the 900-seat proscenium arch Lyttelton; and the Cottesloe, an adaptable studio space designed by Iain Mackintosh, holding up to 400 people depending on the seating configuration.
The sale follows on from the purchase of a 21-channel Kinesys Elevation 1+ motor system - supplied in two phases comprising 14 half tonne Liftkets and seven one tonne Liftkets plus Kinesys Vector control - which is used regularly across the Olivier and Lyttelton Theatres.
The new DigiHoists replace the Cottesloe's existing motor control system which was due for an upgrade. They run the venue's 250 Kg Liftket chain hoists.
"Having been so pleased with the products and the service from Kinesys, it was logical to look at what they could offer for this purchase," explains Wheeler.
The DigiHoist system has been designed to be fully expandable and upgradable. Units can easily be daisy-chained together, and channel numbers are automatically assigned according to the unit's position in the daisy chain.
As soon as the go-ahead was received for the purchase, Kinesys turned the delivery around very quickly, and the DigiHoists went straight into action. They are looked after day-to-day by the Cottesloe's chief flyman, Barry Peavot.
Currently, the National's Kinesys Elevation 1+ systems are also in use for productions of The Doctor's Dilemma at the Lyttelton and London Road at the Olivier.
(Jim Evans)
