LATEST ISSUE

Hashtag campaigns are, it seems, like buses: three came along almost at once in recent weeks. First there was PLASA’s #WeMakeEvents campaign which set out to amplify the industry’s voice and make it clear to the UK government how vital freelancers, production houses, manufacturers and the wider supply chain are to the UK arts industry. Next came #LetTheMusicPlay, with big name artists throwing their weight into the ring in the fight for support and recognition for the live music industry. Then, most recently, came #LightItInRed - a protest that saw hundreds upon hundreds of the UK’s venues, landmarks and industry business premises light up in ‘emergency red’ to draw attention to the critical condition of the live event industry.

The teams here at LSi and PLASA were incredibly proud to join the #LightItInRed movement on the evening of 6 July by turning our Eastbourne HQ bright red - with a little help from our friends at Identity and TSL Lighting.

You’ll find plenty of coverage of the industry’s fight for survival inside this issue, along with a plethora of production reports, technical reviews, product news and company profiles. Our cover story this month sees us chart the revamp of the Dominion Theatre’s staging system and the get-in of blockbuster musical, The Prince of Egypt. We also join the refreshingly diverse crew behind Bryan Ferry’s most recent touring outing and report on Ravensbourne University’s explorations in spatial audio. Meanwhile, Rob Halliday takes a rare opportunity to examine the power savings made by a big name West End musical as a result of LED lighting; and Mike Wood gets under the hood of Vari-Lite’s VL5LED for this month’s Technical Focus. Plus, all your favourite regulars and more. Enjoy!

Kate Lyon reports on the remarkable scenic and rigging feat that is The Prince of Egypt at The Dominion Theatre . . .

LSi reports from Bryan Ferry’s latest tour which, although halted by COVID-19, has been a highly coordinated technical triumph . . .

Rob Halliday looks into several incarnations of the West End production of Les Misérables to trace the impact of LED lighting on theatre . . .

Regulars

LSi talks to rising star Libby Ward

Rock’n’roll matters Phil Ward speaks volumes

The Shend Interrogates Simon Efemey

Filling the broadcast gap

Ticking boxes

Investigating dot2 onPC

Louise Stickland talks to Harry Dakanalis, the stuntman and entrepreneur behind D1 Studios . . .

James Simpson predicts the shape of tech to come : Realtime engines