Running since 2003, the season has simply grown each year and is once again taking place in Central London's The Scoop from 5-30 August. Having worked closely with Gods and Monsters Theatre on previous projects, White Light is not only providing the lighting equipment but also sponsoring the occasion; helping to make theatre accessible to a whole new generation of theatre-goers.
Gods and Monsters Theatre is an organisation dedicated to producing shows that share the myths and legends of the recent and distant past and bring these to a modern-day audience. It is the only company that hosts a free season of classical theatre in London, with this year's programme featuring two shows: Captain Show-Off and Women of Troy.
Suzanna Rosenthal, producer at Gods and Monsters Theatre, comments, "What's important for us is making theatre accessible. Every performance is free, something that is unheard of in Central London on this scale, so any barriers preventing people from participating in the arts are completely removed. It's also important to us that those in attendance get to engage with mythical stories yet that these remain powerful and entertaining for what will probably be a new theatrical audience."
Craig Bennett, White Light's hire business development manager, adds, "It's great to be able to support such an important cause as London's Free Open Air Theatre Season. White Light's origins are in theatre and it's vital that it is enjoyed by as wide a range of people as possible."
This year, Phil Supple was lighting designer on both shows and drew on White Light's extensive lighting range to realise his vision. The equipment he used included SGM P5 RGBW LED floods, SGM G Spot IP65 LED moving heads, PAR 64s with assorted heads and CORE Point30 RGBW WDMX uplighters.
Phil comments, "The LED units and moving heads delivered colour and a series of effects which complemented the stage design and action of the plays, with an additional dimension added by the uplighters. The P5s delivered both a real depth of colour and great blending for slow fades, transitions and unusual hues, whilst the G Spots were super bright and ran virtually silent thanks to a series of fan mode settings."
As the entire season takes place outdoors, Phil and the Gods and Monsters Theatre team had to accommodate for the sometimes challenging setting. He comments: "The plays are staged in the round so there are obstacles when trying to light the work whilst at the same time keep the audience comfortable, particularly with open face LED units. Also, The Scoop is constructed entirely of stone, with no installed cable runs, so footlight or float positions have to be wireless. Fortunately, White Light supplied us with state-of-the-art technology which perfectly suited our requirements and allowed for maximum ease and audience enjoyment."
(Jim Evans)
