Robe specified for Atlas Theatre institution
- Details
In addition to the two Atlas auditoriums - with capacities of 822 and 300 – the complex also includes a full convention centre, catering outlets, offices and is an access point for the Wildlands Adventure Zoo - and Robe moving lights.
The plan to replace the old De Muzeval theatre in the city actually took around 40 years to come to realization for a complexity of reasons. The construction eventually commenced in 2014 and was finished in 2016, with its spectacular, gleamingly modern architectural style, the state-of-the-art facility opened in autumn of last year.
In the meantime, the technical specifications had been completed by acclaimed Amsterdam based theatre consultants Theateradvies, and the bid to supply lighting was won by Controllux.
Twenty-four moving lights were on that space, for which Controllux proposed 12 x Robe DL7S Profiles and 12 x BMFL Spots as the most practical and flexible premium-brand options for the theatre. The project was managed for them by Kuno van Velzen.
The construction company completing the build is also responsible for the building’s maintenance for the next 20 years, so reliability was key to choosing kit.
The technical team led by Koos Maris and including Nick Unij and Jan Honouwer – both also involved with the old theatre - were delighted with the choice of Robes.
The original plan was to have 24 x BMFLs, but they hadn’t seen the DL7S Profile at that point as it had not been launched. However, when they did – at PLASA 2015 – explained Nick and Jan – they decided to test them thoroughly, were pleased with the results and were then able to tweak the spec so 12 could be included.
Specially designed for theatre and television applications, low noise was a feature making the DL7S an attractive choice, especially for classical events where you can hear a pin drop and musicians have super-sensitive ears.
The BMFLs and DL7Ss have already been used extensively on a wide variety of events and they are a “great combination” confirms Nick.
The Atlas Theatre is a busy receiving house for theatre shows and tours and also hosts numerous major conferences, amateur and community productions as well as an annual singing contest which is televised locally. It’s in use almost every day of the year.
(Jim Evans)
