"When the show closed at the Shaftesbury, there was talk about the whole rig moving to Berlin," notes White Light's hire director, Dave Isherwood. "Ultimately that didn't happen because the rig design was changed to suit the much larger venue. However, Rob was keen to continue to keep some core elements of the rig from London, particularly the VL3000 and VL3500 spotlights, the DHA Digital Light Curtains and the Strand control system. Racks & Stacks, who were chosen as the supplier to the German show, didn't have these items in stock, so they came to us and we were happy to help."
White Light supplied the production with 20 Vari-Lite VL3000Q Spots, four VL3500Q framing spots, four VL3000Q Washlights, DHA Digital Light Curtains, 34 Rainbow Pro scrollers for Source Fours, 16 three-circuit L&E Battens, and eight VFSX cloud projectors.
White Light also supplied the lighting control system of main and backup Strand 500-series consoles along with Strand network nodes. The equipment rental was organised by Isherwood and Martin Heinemann of Racks & Stacks, who supplied the rest of the rig as well as the large quantities of trussing and chain hoists required by the show.
White Light's equipment was prepared on a very tight schedule and transported to Berlin to join the rest of the rig, which includes Martin MAC 700 Spot and Washlights, Source Fours, Par Cans and a selection of LED products owned by the show, including the show's dramatic LED mirrorball.
In Germany, the equipment was rigged by a team including production electricians Ian Moulds, John Tapster and Chris Nicholls from the UK and Bert Scherbarth and Dieter Broemsen from Germany, as well as programmer Sarah Brown and assistant lighting designer Anna MacInnes. "With the show finally coming together at very short notice it became something of an exercise in cross-European co-operation to get all of the equipment we needed in the time available," notes Rob Halliday. "White Light's extensive equipment stocks, and their ability to react quickly and work in co-operation with another lighting supplier were invaluable in getting the show back up and running in its new home."
Scheduled to run in Berlin for 12 weeks prior to a world tour, Daddy Cool is produced by Frank Farian and Robert Mackintosh.
(Jim Evans)
