Unusual Services Ltd was appointed by P&O to provide the infrastructure, management and event content for the evening. Maintaining Unusual’s theatre roots, Alan Jacobi, MD of Unusual brought in Sheelagh Barnard as creative director to devise the content for the show. The sound elements came under the direction of John Del Nero, whilst the Fourth Phase team were handed the task of delivering the dramatic light show on the sides of the two ships. With 10 Syncrolites playing on the side of the ships, LD Paul Cook also used a variety of other lighting instruments, including Martin MAC 2000s, MAC 600s, Vari-Lite VL5 Arcs and Lycian 1290 2kW followspots with Avolites and ETC SmartPack dimming, all kept dry(ish) under about 60 tarpaulins on a wet and windy dockside! Crew boss Mike Dawes was ably assisted by Ross Corbett, Laurie McDonald, Lawrence Wilson, John Clark and Clare Self, with support from James Hall back at the Fourth Phase base and Alan Thomson acting as harbour master!
The show, which was themed around doubles, was compered by British rowing champions Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell, who introduced look-alike double acts such as Torvill and Dean, skating on a temporary ice rink, and Morecambe and Wise, while images of ‘the real thing’ were projected behind them. There was also a beautiful dressage display by two perfectly paired white horses, plus the band of the Royal Marines.
Following a short religious ceremony came the christenings themselves. The naming of Oceana was carried out by The Princess Royal, with Zara Phillips repeating the ceremony to name Adonia in what was her first official Royal engagement. As the bottles crashed into each vessel to officially inaugurate them, the action was relayed on a pair of CT Screenco 50sq.m 25mm LED giant screens, positioned on either side of the arena. Serving as a backdrop to an ice rink and mobile rolling stage, the displays were mounted on towers, constructed by Unusual Services.
The evening culminated in a spectacular fireworks display, created by Will Scott for Pyrovision, which lit up the night sky with cascades of colour, as Adonia’s and Oceana’s powerful whistles boomed out across the docks.
The theme of the occasion was famous ‘doubles’, and this was reflected in the following one-hour show (the ice rink, for instance, was to enable a Torvill & Dean type-tableau to be staged). In addition to CT Screenco, the Avesco Group were also represented by CT-OB’s outside broadcast truck, with a four-camera production unit. The live footage was uplinked by satellite, enabling it to be viewed by P&O customers on cruise liners around the world, as well as on the internet.
(Ruth Rossington)
