Highlighting The Less Good Idea
Published: MEA
SOUTH AFRICA: Splitbeam recently supplied lighting equipment during The Centre for The Less Good Idea: Season 1 at Arts On Main in Johannesburg’s Maboneng Precinct. The Gearhouse Group company specialises in theatrical productions.
The production was created by visual artist William Kentridge, while Wesley France served as lighting designer. The two have worked together on several performances, workshops and plays. Mr France has also called upon Splitbeam on multiple occasions to deliver a lighting rig, as he did for The Centre for The Less Good Idea.
The production was split into two areas: the studio, which hosted workshops, and the centre room that was used for staging short plays. The lighting rig comprised 32 Source Four profiles with 12 1.2K Fresnels in the studio and Rush LED PARs in the centre room.
‘The events were not taking place in a theatre environment but rather in empty rooms,’ explained Helen Surgeson, key account manager at Splitbeam. ‘Although the studio does have catwalks and some positions from which lighting can be hung, the centre room lighting had to be hung off temporary structures.’
Ms Surgeson notes that the relationship between the rental company, Mr Kentridge and Mr France has been a collaborative one, with Splitbeam offering advice on which fixtures best suit particular applications.
‘Since I first started using Splitbeam I have always found them to be extremely helpful, orientated towards a theatre rather than a corporate budget and with excellent client service,’ said Mr France.
In related news, Gearhouse South Africa delivered projection screen measuring 10m x 6m with scaffolding support, a Panasonic 21K projector and a small PA for an outdoor art display on Fox Street. The rental company was approached by Yoav Havel from Tintpost to deliver this project.