A new production design is created for each season (photo: Henrik Petit)
Denmark - Cirkusrevyen (Circus Review) is the longest-running review performance in Denmark, with a six-month season kicking off every year since 1935 except for 1945 (due to fire) and 2020 (due to Covid). Staged in a purpose-built big top tent in Klampenborg, Dyrehavsbakken north of Copenhagen, the 2021 season was lit for the first time using Robe Esprite moving lights.
The lighting spec also included a Robe RoboSpot remote follow spotting solution, LEDWash 300+s and LEDBeam 150s, all supplied by rental specialist Live Company, who were working on their second season as a supplier.
Lighting designer Malthe Haugaard was designing his fifth Cirkusrevyen season, which started in May, initially to restricted audiences due to Coronavirus rules. As these were gradually relaxed, ticket sales opened up.
A new production design is created for each season, just as a new review format is evolved and developed. In addition to the backbone of sketches, the action is interspersed with performance slots for music and dance numbers.
For this season, the Esprites were newly purchased by Live Company to replace the older moving lights that have featured on previous productions.
Of the 19 Esprites used for general show lighting, seven were rigged on a truss between the tent’s rear king poles - making up the ‘front’ position in relation to the stage - with the other 12 on the over-stage rig where they were used for back lighting and gobo effects.
Malthe likes the output, the colours including the range of whites - he’s a big fan of white source LEDs - as well as the colour mixing, flat beam field and “fantastic continuity” offered by the fixtures through every show.
A RoboSpot system was first introduced to Circusrevyen three seasons ago. Three Esprite FS (Follow Spots) were supplied for the 2021 system, complete with the integral camera, controlled via two BaseStations located in a small office outside the tent with a full screen view of the stage. Keeping this area completely separate worked well for the Covid distancing regulations whilst still in place.
Using an integrated RoboSpot system also enabled the lights to be utilised for other tasks apart from just following artists.
The other Robe elements on the rig were 35 x LEDWash 300+s, used for stage and front washes. Malthe says with a smile, that he’s hoping to get LEDBeam 350s onto the 2022 season for this same function, and he’s also eyeing up using Tetra2s, Robe’s moving LED batten, as he really likes these.
Eight Robe LEDBeam150s under a glass topped podium were used to great effect for one of the dance acts, and there was also an old-skool PAR can wash along the front positions for some tungsten contrast. All lighting was controlled via a grandMA3 console.

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