The show is being lit by Lucy Carter, whose previous lighting design credits include Love and Money (The Old Vic), Blurred Lines (The National Theatre) and numerous credits with The Royal Ballet. She comments, "In order to create the lighting design for The End of Longing, I worked closely with the set designer Anna Fleischle. She was really inspired by the photography of Edward Hopper, who captures this notion of somebody looking from the outside in. Similarly, I am very interested in the work of Bill Henson and how his photography captures a sense of loneliness and isolation; two themes which are prevalent throughout the play."
Along with highlighting the themes, Lucy's design had to be suited for the space within The Playhouse Theatre. She adds, "Compared to other West End stages, The Playhouse is quite an intimate space so there are a lot of tight lighting angles. Similarly, the play features a lot of moving parts so it was a case of getting that distance and space just right."
To create her lighting rig, Lucy utilised ETC Source 4 Series 2 Lustrs, Martin Professional MAC Tw1s, Vari*Lite VL 1000s, ETC Revolutions and an ETC Ion 2K Console.
Lucy comments, "It was fantastic being able to go to WL, provide my specifications and work with the team to compile exactly what I required. This was actually my first time using the ETC Series 2 Lustrs and they were absolutely ideal for what I needed, mixing and moulding with the other tungsten units effortlessly."
Jedd Hamilton, WL's hire manager, comments, "At WL, we are committed to investing in the very latest lighting equipment. This is something we continue to do year on year, allowing designers such as Lucy to draw on a whole host of lighting technology and choose exactly what they feel will bring their design to life."
(Jim Evans)
