Louise Stickland, The Stage Mon, 2008-08-11 01:00

Proving that established companies and lighting designers also work outside mainstream productions, LD Andy Webb used Robe moving lights at the core of his design for a recent production of Oliver, staged at Kingshill School Sports Hall in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. The end-of year show, directed by Russell Blackaller, featured a cast of 70 pupils aged 11 to 15 and ran for three sold-out performances. Staged in a 270-degree format, almost in the round, Webb - who is also technical manager at the nearby Sundial Theatre - felt that using moving lights was the only way to maximize the space. He chose a moving light rig for two reasons - one was to give him the imaginative scope and depth needed, and secondly, the power supply was limited to four single phase 63A supplies. The lights were rigged off a 12m x 12m box truss flown six metres above the stage and consisted of eight Robe ColorWash 575 ATs, four ColorSpot 575 ATs and four ColorSpot 700E ATs, with four ColorWash 250 ATs positioned on the floor and used as kickers to highlight faces and profiles from a low level. Webb used his own Roadhog Full Boar console for control and worked with his team of console programmer Jim Hobbs and LX crew Adam Tye. The Robes were supplied by Bath-based Enlightened.