Working closely with Edinburgh-based Pufferfish, XL has also jointly developed six internally projected spheres - and steel cage housings - which are a major scenic feature of the show.
The show's inventive set and lighting was created by Paul Normandale, with video playback content specially commissioned and produced by Justine Catterall, technical support by Richard Turner and live video directed by Andy Bramley. Des Fallon is International account handler & project manager for XL.
Five 2m diameter globes are onstage, three attached to the two rear trusses (which are horizontal ladder beams shaped like waves), and the other two downstage left and right at the sides of stage, flown on two more wave trusses. All these move in and out during the show on a fixed speed Kinesys automation system. The sixth globe - 3m in diameter - sits above the FOH mixer position.
Each day, the spheres are attached to the steel cages which also hold the projectors pointing vertically downwards, plus all the inflation technology and fans. The onstage ones are fed by five Barco CLM R10 projectors and the FOH one by a Christie 20K, all fitted with specially made fisheye lenses.
(Jim Evans)
