Les Mis at the O2 - DPA Microphones

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ON ON THE THE ROAD: ROAD: Les Mallorca Mis at the Rocks O2 Immediately following a brief, two-week run at the original Les Mis venue, the barbican, this one-off, three hour long 25th anniversary concert presentation featured more than 500 actors and musicians including Alfie Boe as ‘Jean Valjean’, Nick Jonas (of the Jonas Brothers) as ‘Marius’, Norm Lewis as ‘Javert’, Matt Lucas as ‘Thenardier’, Lea Salonga as ‘Fantine’, Jenny Galloway as ‘Madame Thenardier’ and Katie Hall as ‘Cosette’. They were joined by members of the original 1985 cast including Michael Ball, Alun Armstrong and Colm Wilkinson. Preceded by a short production rehearsal period at the new LH2 Studios facility in Park Royal, north-west London, the initial load in to the O2 was followed by two days of technical rehearsals. That in itself would have been straightforward enough, even on the large scale that it was, but this was where it started getting interesting. The whole production had to be de-rigged and taken out to allow a Santana concert to take place on the Friday night. It then loaded back in first thing Saturday, ready for more technicals and a full dress run that evening, Above L-R: Lighting designers Paule Constable & Patrick Woodroffe; sound designer Mick Potter. followed by the two sold-out shows the following day. Nick Levitt — whose production industry credentials need no introduction — was brought onboard by the Cameron Mackintosh production team (led by Jerry Donaldson) to amalgamate the techniques and working methods of two very different production genres and make Les Mis work in an arena. With this, came his wealth of leading contractor contacts and vast experience of the logistics involved and parameters needed to make special events really rock. RIGGING Summit Steel supplied all the rigging equipment and trussing for over-stage and audience lighting, mother grids, surround and support for the screens, plus all motors and a Kinesys system. Summit Steel’s project manager, Jon Bray and Nick Levitt have known and worked with each other for over 30 years, and so Levitt brought the firm into the equation early on with Richard Wythes leading its crew. A happy and convenient coincidence was that Summit is also the venue’s house rigging services provider. “You can do pretty much anything if there is good communication between all parties and if it’s planned and sufficiently thought-through well and in advance...” Jon Bray DPA Theatre TP 190 x 136.indd 1 02/11/10 14.38 TPi NOVEMBER 2010 • 53
ON THE ROAD: Les Mis at the O2 Bray started working well in advance with lighting crew chief Rich Gorrod, on a lateral thinking strategy together with Levitt and colighting designers Paule Constable and Patrick Woodroffe. The way the lighting rig in particular was designed was critical to whether moving the show in and out in time would be feasible and possible. “You can do pretty much anything if there is good communication between all parties and it’s planned and sufficiently thought-through well and in advance,” said Bray, who quietly relishes these galvanising tasks. That PRG Lighting and Summit are part of the same group of companies helped enormously in terms of fluid and easy communications, along with Summit’s relationship and role with the O2, and consequent intimate knowledge of the building and its working practices. In addition, elucidated Bray, Santana’s production crew were also extremely friendly and accommodating, Had this not been the case, there could have been a few potential stumbling blocks. Key to meeting all of Les Misérables’ deadlines, the major time-saving solution was to rig as much of the Les Mis production as high as possible in the roof, and this they were able to do with eight of the high lighting trusses and two mother grids — primarily also used for lighting positions — which were all hung on 30m (motor) chains. This allowed them to be flown out into the roof, dead hung and left in unseen for Santana. The rear lighting trusses and all the PA effects stacks and delays were also hung high, so they didn’t need to be removed. This left the main left and right PA hangs, two substantial sub-bass hangs, eight lower lighting ‘Barricade’ and ‘Buttress’ trusses (which doubled as scenery in addition to providing lighting positions), all on a Kinesys automation system, and one additional truss to come out. DOUBLE DECKER The set was designed by Matt Kinley. A large scaffolding double decker stage was installed Top: Original CAD renderings of the set. Above L-R: Matt Lucas; Jenny Galloway; Herbert Kretzmer, Alain Boublil & Claude-Michel Schonberg. 54 • TPi NOVEMBER 2010
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