Looking back over his extraordinary career of more than 40 years designing for theatre, opera and ballet throughout the world, Bill Dudley is taking as his theme Virtual scenery. Roger Fox, director of the Theatre Show said, "Bill will compare projected scenery then and now, and will introduce an international time line initiative which aims to foster a better general understanding of older theatre technologies."
Arranged to coincide with an international meeting of OISTAT, the opening seminar will be held at the Theatre Show from 11:00 to 12:30 on Wednesday 13 June. This will be a subject of interest not only to the 'digital' generation of projection specialists but also to visitors who have been involved with projected scenery over the years.
The launch of the 'international timeline initiative' during Dudley's keynote talk is in response to the work of the ABTT's Archeology committee, which has developed a reputation for doing more than any other organization in Europe in recording and explaining technical theatre history.
The seminar programme also includes the annual John Watts memorial lecture, at 14:30 on Wednesday 13. John Watts, for many years the health and safety officer at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, was in charge of H&S for the technical team at the Millennium Dome before his premature death in 2000. It is entirely fitting that this year Lawrence Waterman, head of health and safety for the Olympic Delivery Authority, will present a lecture entitled Delivering Olympian Standards of Health and Safety.
Waterman adds, "The hardest part is the sheer complexity of what we are doing - it has had to be done over a short time period, with more stakeholders than you can imagine - and all of this has to be done in the glare of intense public scrutiny. But that's also why it is so exciting." This is a chance to hear the background to this work and ask questions of the man in charge.
Following the John Watts memorial lecture, Theatre Show exhibitor d & b audiotechnik GB will be presenting their popular seminar Can you hear me at the back?.
Full details of the developing seminar programme are on the website at www.abtttheatreshow.org.uk. Seminars are open to everyone.
(Jim Evans)
