The novel is set in a number of contrasting locations, which means that its musical adaptation has to recreate dramatic changes of scenery, including the Northern Lights over the Arctic Ocean, a military plane landing on the tundra, the ghostly appearance of a wrecked ship and a train leaving a Moscow railway station. To bring these images to life, production lighting designer Sergei Martynov worked closely with the set designers to create appropriate lighting effects. "Taking the lighting design process from starting point to its conclusion was a fantastic experience for me," said Martynov. "Lighting Technology and Doka Media were able to offer me an impressive range of equipment so I was able to choose what to work with, being as creative as I liked in establishing the lighting plot for the musical. My choice of equipment for the rig was driven by what I felt would work best, rather than by budget constraints - and this was a rare opportunity for me. I think lighting should be an expressive part of the production and I was able to achieve this with the lighting rig I specified."
In co-operation with Doka Media Ltd, Lighting Technology Group supplied Russian production company LINK with equipment for the musical, including 12 DHA Digital Light Curtains. The DHA DLCs were an integral part of the production as Martynov explained: "It is the first time in Russian theatrical history that the DLC has been used and it has proved itself to be a truly remarkable piece of equipment, providing us with a full range of excellent solutions to various visual demands." In addition to the DHA DLCs, Lighting Technology also supplied Martynov with a selection of Clay Paky Stage Zooms and Stage Colors; a GLP Patend light; ADB and ETC luminaries; dimmers from IES; and a range of equipment from other manufacturers including Rosco, FAL, Lampo, Strand, Osram, Rainbow and Nocturn. Martynov commented: "During the installation and testing of the lighting rig, the effects made a great impression on the production's cast. For the majority of them it was the first time they had seen such a dramatic and advanced lighting rig.
"This production is unique," explained Martynov. "There are very few commercial theatres in Russia, most are repertory theatres and traditionally they do not have sufficient budget to afford state-of-the-art lighting equipment. However, the situation seems to be changing and intelligent lights are used increasingly in Russian theatres."
(Lee Baldock)
