LONDON – All or Nothing, a musical that opened recently at The Vaults in London, is based on the life and music of British Mod group The Small Faces. White Light provided a lighting rig that includes 52 Par 64s and two ETC Source Four Revolutions specified by LD Peter Small. Small also used Look Solutions Unique 2.1 Haze Machine, CCT Minuette Fresnels and ETC Source Fours for the show. White Light supplied the gear.
More details from White Light (www.WhiteLight.Ltd.uk/about-us):
Set in the Swinging Sixties, it is a poignant and bittersweet tale of four charismatic young musicians whose humor, attitude and passion propel them to mega-stardom. Yet not all of them are ready for what awaits when they hit the big time… As the leading lighting supplier to both West End and UK touring theatre, White Light has provided the lighting equipment for this exciting production.
All or Nothing is written by renowned British actress Carol Harrison and directed by BAFTA-winner Tony McHale. It first previewed on Brighton Beach back in 2013 and, following a series of development, is now making its London debut.
The musical is lit by Peter Small. He comments: “The show is set in the Sixties and I really wanted to capture a sense of this time. I opted for a more visual design of rows of Par cans that could provide effects in the thirty three numbers before switching to provide the more theatrical lighting for the interim scenes. The more standard option would have been to fill the stage with flashing moving lights yet I wanted to do something different. I wanted the audience to really feel they were part of a different time, to give them something different than what they are now used to whenever they go to a music event or a similar show, whilst at the same time maintaining the vibrancy and energy the story requires”.
In order to achieve this, Peter used 52 x Par 64s, along with 2 x ETC Source Four Revolutions, which were distributed across five rows lining the arch of the space. He adds: “Using only systems of Parcans made it feel quite bold in terms of the lighting design as we were not using a more familiar system of color washes, covers and specials. That said, the Par 64s were ideal for the show’s fast pace, which contains 500 cues in just under two hours!”.
Peter also drew on the Look Solutions Unique 2.1 Haze Machine, CCT Minuette Fresnels and ETC Source Fours. He comments: “Essentially any idea I had or any look I wanted to create, WL were right there with me, suggesting products and solutions. Having access to such a wide range of equipment pays in dividends when working on a show like this. I was also lucky enough to work with a great team, including Howard Eaton Lighting Limited who saved the day by sending us a super bright RGBW LED Multi-head Fibre Optic Engine to use for our Top Of The Pops Fibre Optic sign, which simply added to the already impressive set-up”.
Not only did Peter have to create a very specific design for the show but then had to realise this within The Vaults space. He comments: “The Vaults is situated beneath Waterloo Station, hence the positions and access you would normally have in your standard theatre are obviously restricted. The height of the space we’re in has a low point of 2 meters and a high point of 4 meters so there isn’t much room for maneuver! Therefore, rather than trying to work with what was already there, we paid special attention to bringing in and building back, side and proscenium positions that could work around and enhance Rebecca Brower’s set design, along with positional lighting to ensure that we got the most out of both the space and the musical itself”.
The show has now opened and is already proving extremely popular with audiences; so much so that its initial four week run has now been extended to eight weeks and plans for an upcoming UK tour are now in motion.
Peter adds: “As usual I had a fantastic experience working with WL. Throughout the entire creative process they have been unbelievably supportive and helpful. Nothing was ever too much for them and to be so responsive and caring is vital on a show like this. I am extremely grateful for all of their help and advice”.
All or Nothing is the second show to open this week that WL has supplied the lighting for, with The Caretaker having now opened at the Old Vic.
Bryan Raven, WL’s Managing Director, comments: “We are currently working on a whole host of exciting shows, not only in London but across the UK. Whether it’s an underground show at The Vaults, a West End production, or one of the many immersive pieces we are working on, we have the equipment, skills and expertise to deliver the very best service to every single one”.
