Although the show attracted fewer visitors than last year, following a quiet - and gloriously sunny - Sunday, numbers picked up again for Monday and Tuesday, and after an unusually busy final day the overall visitor attendance reached 11, 500 (subject to ABC audit). Despite anecdotal reports of reduced international turnout, the overseas attendance was in fact a robust 25% of the total footfall, compared with 26% in 2011. The overall response from exhibitors, however, was vintage PLASA - excellent quality visitors and good levels of business - plus a strong sense of the buzz returning to the marketplace.
It was also clear that the seminars, presentations and debates taking place in the purpose-built theatres in Earls Court 2 had been a resounding success with exhibitors and visitors alike. Registration for seminars showed more than 100% increase on last year. In all, more than one third of the attendees saw one or more of the sessions.
The variety of topics, the quality of the content and the enthusiasm and professionalism of the presenters provided a 'something for everyone' experience. Students who had travelled from Nottingham to learn from "guys who are actually doing it and telling it how it is - we would never get stuff like this at home," were obviously impressed. James Simpson, lighting visualiser from the Royal Opera House and a presenter himself commented, "The range of seminars was relevant and interesting. I managed to get along to four or five and felt I learnt something from all of them - the term 'professional development' was very appropriate in that I felt I learnt a lot from each one."
From the very first sessions on Sunday, visitors took full advantage of the sessions that were on offer. On a baking hot afternoon, The Backstage Academy presented to a full house in Theatre D, while LED Theatrical Luminaires: Are We There Yet? had to be relocated to the larger Theatre A to accommodate the audience. The crowds that arrived to see some of the sessions that had been sold out before PLASA had begun were described as 'simply overwhelming'.
The presentations that celebrated the industry's involvement in this summer's extravaganza of events proved, not surprisingly, to be the highlights of the programme, with more than 550 people seeing the sessions on the Olympics Ceremonies presented by technical director Piers Shepperd.
"The PLASA 2012 organisers would like to thank all the contributors for their invaluable input. Through their effort and commitment, the Professional Development Programme has become an integral and unmissable part of the PLASA experience and promises to go from strength to strength at our new home in 2013," comments show manager Sophie Atkinson.
Once again, the Earls Court Conference Centre played host to the PLASA Rigging Conference where delegates gathered from all corners of the globe to listen to industry experts, share good practice and debate the future structure of rigging on an international level. The legendary 'Disney Rigger' Roy Bickel, opened the Conference with a thoroughly engaging, entertaining and informative speech about his influence on the development of modern rigging over the last 50 years which was enthusiastically received by the packed audience. The conference, a near sell-out event, was attended by 156 delegates from around the world.
Out on the exhibitor floor there was a vibrant buzz. Over half of this year's exhibitors were displaying worldwide product launches and with 47 entries in the Awards for Innovation, sponsored this year by AED Rent and Lighting&Sound International, there was a strong emphasis on ground-breaking techn
