TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
FOR LSW’s
BLACK ATLAS TOUR
One of the great joys of having originally mounted
so many productions in prisons (as LSW has done over the past ten
years) is that your ‘house style’ becomes - out of necessity - minimal (e.g.,
very few: i.e., virtually no) TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS.
Equally (and amazingly) it has become
celebrated and replication has been demanded whether the LSW team is
performing at the House of Lords or in the Royal Opera House.
Part of the excitement we have found – much as in Shakespeare’s own
day – is that imaginations are inter-actively stretched whilst the music and
audience both dress and set any and all proceedings.
CHAIRS - Performing
Company (Musicians and Actors) Each
venue is required to provide ten basic (plastic) chairs for the company to sit
on (e.g., eight actors & two musicians) on stage. They should be of
a weight that should a man of average weight stand on it, they would not
collapse. These chairs should be simple in the extreme. We would like to suggest black as a uniform colour.
However, any colour is fine as long as it is uniform.
Please see diagrams below for both proscenium and flat-bed spaces
(e.g., schools without theatres)
Audiences
Members Serve as Scenery - Holding as ‘twere up to nature, the audience
provides a great part of the scenery in this production, framing (as they do) BLACK
ATLAS. There must be a
minimum of eight chairs on either side of the central action area as
illustrated in the diagrams. Some action
in the play takes place behind these chairs - so there should be appropriate
space between the wall and them. On
stage right, one chair at the top the front row (should their be two rows -
e.g., 38 chairs) is to filled by the actor playing
‘The Speaker’ (This role will
be played by Dr. Bruce Wall). (Again,
this is identified in the diagrams).
Again, we
are happy to welcome additional seating in an added row or two, but space then
should be allowed behind the second row.
LSW EQUIPMENT :
LSW is travelling with a Yamaha P-150 Electronic
Piano, a Midi, a lap-top computer add-on, appropriate leads and a Cello.
It is also bringing a box of costumes and very simple properties and a
selection of simple percussion instruments.
THAT IS ALL. The
rest, as they say, is left to the magic of the theatre and the fervent
imaginations of the audience.
PERFORMANCE BACKING:
In theatrical spaces, the backdrop for the performance can be either
the back wall of the theatre (should that be deemed appropriate) or hung
blacks (or a scrim of whatever additional colour is available).
While touring Blacking Iago in 2006 it was amazing to see how
the production changed in different spaces.
When Black Atlas was originally staged, it was staged in such a
fashion that it would be immediately adaptable to any number of varying
spaces. In any event, however,
the backing should be plain, e.g., as simple as possible.
Again pictures from the original production (staged
in a chapel) can be found in the production pack:
http://www.londonshakespeare.org.uk/Othello1/BAtour2.htm
SOUND: As the music and all performances in BLACK ATLAS
are live, there is no requirement for additional sound accoutrements.
At LSW the sound of live musical, spoken and sung effects are deeply
cherished. We would not want to
interfere with nature in this regard unless absolutely demanded.
We have played a variety of venues in excess of 700 seats and have yet
to use microphones – nor have there been complaints about audibility.
GET INS & OUTS:
These are undertaken usually by LSW team members
and one associate from the theatre. There
is only the one production suitcase with all props and costumes and the
musical instruments. (It takes a
matter of minutes). LSW
requests a safe space (e.g., lockable) where the musical instruments and
production suitcase can be stored overnight – and easy and reliable
access the
next morning (where there are not two consecutive performances) in order for
the LSW BLACK ATLAS Company to make a timely retreat onto the next
venue. Timings
will be discussed and laid out in the LSW BLACK ATLAS TOUR BOOKING MEMO.
LIGHTING - BEGINNING AND END ONLY –
In venues where
theatrical lighting is available there will be a general wash of lights
covering the stage - up and down - at the beginning and end of the
performance. In each venue
scripts will be provided on a PDF file to the technical staff and a hard copy
will be carried for such purpose by the production team.
There will be a very simple lighting effect at the beginning (a spot
turning into a general wash) at the very beginning which shall be repeated
immediately before lights dim at the end.
Once up the lights will remain up for the quick curtain call and
progress into the BLACK ATLAS Talk Back (see below) will be immediate. The lights should stretch the length of the entire stage area -
including the frame of the proscenium where such is applicable. The venue’s lighting personnel will have an opportunity to
specifically run through this with LSW’s Executive Director prior to the
performance. The technical run
should – IN ANY EVENT - not take longer than one hour, although the
provision of one hour and fifteen minutes may be wise.
Indeed, with BLACKING IAGO the technical cue to cue took NO MORE
than three-quarters of an hour in the wide majority of cases where everything
else was otherwise set-up to go. In
those venues (e.g., schools) where there is only one-level lighting –room
lights will be constant at both the beginning and end.
COME-IN : BLACK
ATLAS COMPANY actors have
their half-hour call set to finish with the come-in of the audience (the first
and last character in any LSW theatrical presentation) into the theatrical
space (e.g., the auditorium). In
all instances BLACK ATLAS COMPANY MEMBERS will welcome the audience
members who are joining them on the performance space, shaking their hands and
speaking to them personally. They
may, if they wish, also distribute complimentary programmes, the proforma for
which will be distributed to all venues in advance (no later than
mid-January). Please note it will
be the venues responsibility to copy and distribute the programmes.
LSW usually distributes these for free in their own London
performances, however the charity (LSW) is happy to have the venues make a
charge to audience members to cover their costs as they will best know exact
audience numbers.
TALK-BACK: Following each performance there will be a
talk-back where the audience will have a chance to speak to
members of the performing company about the play, the importance of the
celebration of the Bi-centennial of the abolition of slavery, the unique
nature of LSW’s work and to hear additional performances of music/poetry
surrounding the aforementioned themes.
A sheet will be made available to audience members informing them of
the actual historical outcome of the characters they will have met in the
play.
Following each performance, Mr. Darren Raymond
(24), the fine young actor who audiences will see playing ‘Bill Richmond’
in BLACK ATLAS and who, although an ex-offender, has already made his
West End debut –- will speak
briefly from the stage and then move into an agreed lobby space to sell his
‘Learn Today/Lead Tomorrow’ line of T-Shirts. These
have always proved popular with audience members – They seem to very much
enjoy the chance to speak with Darren and, most crucially, to assist in a very
practical sense towards the effective rehabilitation of others.
I hope this answers questions such as you might have in regards to the BLACK ATLAS production. Dr. Bruce Wall, LSW’s Executive Director can be reached on 07916149002, in his office at 0207 793 9755 or through Pete Colley, LSW’s Associate for Touring/Schools on 0207 771 0009.
SUGGESTED OUTLINE FOR THEATRICAL VENUES
