“#watermillways”

9 August 2012

I am sat in the Production office as we “take off” on the press night of our wonderful summer musical Thoroughly Modern Millie – I’m here acting as the “Floating Technical Cover”, Nelly, Neil and I do this for the first few performances of any new production until it settles down and the show crew feels confident we’ve ironed out any glitches.

As you can imagine there is an amazing amount of technology involved with this show from all the radio mics and moving lights – to the computers running surtitles in sync with the dialogue.

As Production Manager, I left most of this established technology to others so I could concentrate on the most complex mechanical parts of the whole operation – the “doors” and the “invision pit monitoring”.

Now I admit there are complex rams and electronic solenoids that can open and close double doors magically – even if one has to lead and open first while the other has to close first. But those do not give me the confidence when I’m not here – that four pulleys, two springs, some string and Bryony knowing to pull the one with the white tape mark on first, does.

In the same way that the line of doors that come on and off stage repeatedly without hitting the Proscenium, the staircase or the side walls of the set, and then spin and park off stage in the wings – could have been loaded onto travelators across the middle of the stage or even a series of tracks with drop in spades, but somehow the length of timber that Neil screwed to the ceiling in the wing catching their tops ensuring they only go in one direction won’t be affected if someone unplugs a socket to put a hoover in.

“#watermillways” was a tweet I saw posted by my opposite number and friend of ours at a neighboring  theatre  – I suspect he is envious of our “invision pit monitoring” – yes there is a camera pointing at the Musical Director onstage so he can conduct those playing off stage in the wings watching the TV monitors  – but the harder challenge was to cue the musicians in the corners of the set with a monitor that would not spill any light in the blackouts – now again some may have gone for DMX flags on the camera or used a generator to send black images when required but here we are trailblazing with the TKM 9.99 (see photo) .

You may mock – yes it may be a bathroom mirror available in a local store but it has been 100% reliable.

Don’t forget as we all board the plane for our summer holidays – chatting away as we walk through the gate confident we won’t step into fresh air –the backup to all that technology is two blocks of wood and a length of rope.

So “Chocks away” on another flight of fun and frivolity here at The Watermill.