Production manager John Harris described the cultural environment of Henley Festival: "To say that it's one of a kind sounds like a bit of a cliché; but I really can't think of another festival comparable to Henley. Holding a summer festival in such a beautiful environment and to attract artists of the highest calibre is nothing short of a privilege. Although the black tie dress code and chic venues create an aura of sophistication; we keep the ticket prices down to ensure Henley Festival is accessible to all."
This year's event featured acts such as: Elton John, Bryn Terfel, Will Young, Shirley Bassey, The Welsh National Orchestra and Elvis Costello; as well as an impressive roster of cabaret and comedy acts.
PRG XL Video account director Peter Marshall works closely with John on a number of projects and was excited to be a part of the Henley Festival 2016: "It was really nice to be back after a 10-year absence, prior to which we worked very closely with lighting designers Michael Odam and Theo Cox to develop the Henley Festival to the size and stature it is today."
The main stage floats on the water just off the bank of the Thames and is visible from the seated area directly in front of the stage and the grandstand restaurant. John detailed how he and Gerry Mott designed the space: "When it came to deciding which kit we used, we took a slightly unorthodox yet very sensible approach of sitting down with Pete-explaining what we wanted to achieve with the budget available and heeding his suggestions.
"Pete came up trumps and we had a very glamorous looking main stage which featured 26 MAC Viper AIR FXs, 12 Clay Paky Alpha Beam 700s, 35 GLP Volkslicht, 10 Vari*lite VL1000 T/S and 10 SGM P5 LED wash lights."
In addition to the comprehensive lighting package, PRG XL Video also provided a small camera system and several screens around the festival site, relaying live footage from the main stage.
"This year was the first time we'd used any video technology at Henley, and it proved to be a very positive experience The area around the floating stage has a capacity of 4400, so to be able to show the main act to all 7200 nightly ticket holders was wonderful." John explained.
Peter Marshall concluded: "Around eighty percent of the work is done by John Harris and his team before arriving on site. There is much planning and pre-production preparation that happens in advance, which enables John, Gerry, Mark, and their lighting crew to work within the limited timescale of having just three days to transform the site and only one day to install the kit on the floating stage once it's built.
"We're delighted to be supporting John and his technical team at Henley and look forward to a continued involvement in the years to come as the festival grows in size and technical complexity."
(Jim Evans)
