As Storm's lighting designer, White Light North's Jack Thompson, explains: "We first created the show at the Circus Space in Hoxton, then we converted it to a proscenium arch format at the Theatre Royal in York in late 2001, and we then toured that production. Lots of people saw the show and enjoyed it, including BB Promotion, one of the biggest producers in Europe, who wanted to turn it into a European extravaganza."
Before that could happen, though, BB were approached to produce a 35-minute show to launch Audi's new A8. They decided that Storm would make a good basis for this show, which would play in seven venues across Germany - in Frankfurt, Cologne, Berlin, Hannover, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart. For the Storm team, including producer Paul Cockle, artistic director Matt Costain, set designer Mark Fisher and Thompson, this meant adapting the show to the shorter running length, then adding on a 'reveal' of the car at the end. Thompson specified a largely automated rig, supplied by White Light North and The Moving Light Company, that included 18 Martin MAC 600s, six MAC 2000s, 12 MAC 500s, four Mini-MAC Profiles, 12 Par 64s with scrollers, and a selection of 2kW fresnels, Strand SL Zoom profiles, Cantata PCs and Par cans all driven from 72-ways of Avo ART dimming. Control was from a Flying Pig Wholehog II programmed by Jim Beagley, while Dave Mathieson served as production electrician and Keith Johnson the production manager.
Storm allowed Jack Thompson to draw on his long experience of lighting dance, movement and circus-style performances gained while working for DV8, RaRaZoo and with Circus Oz at the Edinburgh Festival; it is this last company that he credits for most of his 'circus' education. "It's a completely different art form to lighting for a conventional theatre performance. You really have to understand what it takes to leap off a trapeze - that you have to be able to see the bar to catch it. And you have to light much more space - not only the stage but the full height above it, while still ensuring that the audience are only watching the one person they're supposed to be watching."
Thompson has also enjoyed working with set designer Mark Fisher, who "has great ideas and such a wise head. He'll just sit in meetings listening to what everyone has to say, then suddenly come out with a pearl of wisdom!" The pearls of wisdom paid off on the Audi tour, where the company was greeted with universal acclaim.
Following the Audi tour, Storm returned to its conventional, independent show format for a season at London's Barbican Theatre. Here Thompson adapted his rig slightly, with High End Studio Colors replacing the MAC 600s and control moving on to a Strand 520i console, all again supplied by White Light North. Despite the work involved in getting the show, and its complex logistics, it opened to popular acclaim and enjoyed a successful run.
Though the show's immediate future is unclear, there is talk of further tours of the UK or Europe. Having survived the Dome, The Generating Company now look set to be around entertaining for many years to come.
(Ruth Rossington)
