Avolites dimmers on Curious Incident tour
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Providing the touring production with a reliable dimming, power distribution, hoist and pyrotechnical control system is a unique 'dimmer world' system designed by the tour's production electrician, Chris Mence. British rental experts, Hawthorn, supplied the three Avolites ART2000 dimmer racks that made-up part of Mence's dimmer system alongside their provision of the tour's entire lighting element.
"The 'dimmer world' system enables us to roll in the entire lighting control and mains distribution package in one hit," says Mence. "It's a plug-and-play solution with the Avolites ART2000 racks providing the dimming control for the production's lighting elements."
Mence has been involved in Curious Incident since 2014 when the show was relaunched into the Gielgud Theatre following initial runs at the National's Dorfman Theatre (formerly the Cottesloe Theatre) and the Apollo Theatre in the West End. The established electrician continues to work on the tour as it embarks on its first international leg following a successful UK run.
"The dimming requirements for the tour changed as we moved over to new LED fixtures for the lighting rig in January 2017," says Mence. "The ART2000 units offer a Hot-Patch system. The system is easily changeable and made integration much simpler."
ART2000's Hot-Patch system allows each channel of each multicore output connector to be patched to any channel. It incorporates a battery-operated lamp test indicator, making faults easy to find when the same circuit powers more than one fixture, even when there is no mains power available. "The Hot-Patch system is a tool that we simply couldn't work without," says Mence.
"The system is a good, solid touring dimming and distribution solution," says Mence.
Localized versions of the ART2000 dimmer product are available to meet regional requirements, with alternative Hot-Patch connectors and/or arrangements, as well as with different multipole connector types and wiring to suit a wide variety of countries and regulations.
Mark Burnett, business development manager at Hawthorn, says: "We're honoured to be on board for both the International and UK tour of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. The ART2000 racks are the industry standard and a truly reliable and popular workhorse within our rental fleet. It's a privilege to have them out on the road with such a prestigious show."
The tour completed its UK run on 16 September 2017 and is now embarking on its international leg that will include The Netherlands, Canada, Australia and Asia.
(Jim Evans)
