A member of the UTE (Union of Theatres of Europe), the TNS has had the status of "National Theatre" since 1972 and is the only one of the five theatres with this classification outside the French capital.
With up to 20 productions per season and approximately 200 performances per year, it offers a busy and varied programme. The TNS hosts a permanent theatre company, the Ecole Supérieure d'Art dramatique drama school and two halls for shows.This set-up is completed by the Studio Kablé, with two supplementary halls, rehearsal and work rooms and administration facilities, as well as scenography and costume workshops.
The TNS hosts four permanently installed Doppia II 9075 systems, supported by four DVS 118 SW subs (all in groups of two, for the dress and upper circles). Two Doppia II 5040 (with a longer throw) cover the stage and four Outline DVS 10 multi-purpose enclosures (also in groups of two) are used for the orchestra and as a centre cluster respectively.
Signal amplification and processing are entrusted to eight Outline T5 power amplifiers. The installation and fine tuning was carried out by Outline's exclusive French distributor AUDIO along with associate firm Scène de Nuit.
Didier Rupin of AUDIO comments: "The expectations were not easy to satisfy, as they were high from many points of view: acoustic, technical and aesthetic. But the distinctive characteristics of Outline products were able to provide TNS technical staff all the answers. One of the most important aspects of the client's brief was to achieve outstandingly uniform sound, which had to be very well balanced at all sound pressure levels. Here too the result was achieved.
"The TNS audio team, led by Caroll Duthérage, also specified the need for centralised control of the amplifiers, as well as the digital inputs, and the new Outline T5 power amplifiers, equipped with Ethernet port and DSP card, ensured the solution. They are all controlled by a single PC which enables everything to be kept under control, including phase alignment, a function the team of TNS sound engineers puts to good use."
(Jim Evans)
