EPIDAURUS, Greece — Proving that there is a fixture for every scenario, Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1200 fixtures were used during a National Theatre production of Phèdre at the Epidaurus theatre in Greece as part of the Athens Festival. The 15,000-seat Epidaurus theatre, designed in the 4th century BC, is known for its symmetry and acoustics, which allow the entire audience, regardless of their seat, to perfectly hear a performer’s unamplified voice from the stage. Although most ambient noise is absorbed by the limestone construction, it is still important to use equipment that can operate quietly.
“Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1200s were used as front light specials placed amongst the crowd, so the low noise was a major consideration,” said Paule Constable, LD for the production. “We used the shuttering to pick out elements on the stage with great accuracy. They also proved reliable in extreme heat conditions — it was 40 degrees (104°F) during the day.”
Simon Fraulo, lighting operations manager from the National Theatre of London, was responsible for commissioning the rig used in Epidaurus. “Alpha Profile were used to boost front of house, which was primarily a house rig with Source 4 profiles,” he said. “The Alpha Profile were mainly used for specials on the center stone (God Spot) and shuttered to the ramp and doorways. We made use of the excellent color mixing and shutter assemblies.
“The reason we used the Alpha Profile was that we needed to have absolute reliability,” Fraulo added. “They had to withstand extreme heat during the day. I had never used an Alpha Profile before to light a show, so this was a very interesting exercise and one that was entirely successful. The units were placed in the auditorium, which is acoustically perfect and we hardly heard them at all. During the show members of the public were sitting all around them and we had no complaints. The units were the perfect brightness too, at a distance of 40 to 50 meters (130 to 165 feet).
Sarah Brown was the programmer, controlling the entire rig from an ETC ION console. Philip Hills led the local team for support.
This version of Phèdre, written by Jean Racine, was translated into free verse by the late Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes. The performance was given four stars by numerous publications, with the Sunday Times stating, “Outstanding acting, direction and set design bring a classic tragedy powerfully to life.”
“Would I use the Alpha Profile 1200 units again? Yes,” Fraulo said, adding that “we were all impressed” with the product.
For more information, please visit www.claypaky.it.
