Robe on track for Varoffer performance
- Details
Two radically different pieces made up this seminal work - the first a 40 minute ‘solo’ performance by Benke dancing with an industrial robot to a specially composed new soundtrack by Johan Liljedahl and Carl-Johan Rasmusson; and the second comprising 20 synchronised street dancers moving to Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring in 5000 litres of water with a massive mirror suspended above the stage bouncing their images back into the audience to appreciate their symmetry and formation skills.
Imaginatively lit by Palle Palme, Robe BMFL Blades, LEDWash 1200s and ColorSpot 700E ATs together with other luminaires all played a vital part in this breath-taking show which took the concept of performance art and technology to new levels.
Palle has worked with Benke since 2003 when he was in the Bounce Streetdance Company including for their global hit One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest which toured worldwide, plus several other invigorating projects which always push creative boundaries due to Benke’s ability to think out-of-the-box and take audiences on extraordinary journeys.
Palle used two of the 11 BMFL Blades as low side and front light, with five BMFL Blades on LX bar 0 also for front lighting, and four of the fixtures on the over-stage trussing.
The 24 x LEDWash 1200s were also dotted around on the overhead trusses, while the older ColorSpot 700E ATs - among the theatre’s original purchase of Robe fixtures - were hanging in side-stage positions.
For the second act more lighting came into play, although Palle had to be extremely strategic in where these sources were positioned because anything overhead reflected and refracted off the mirror above the ‘pool’ of water
Palle utilised an ETC Cobalt lighting console, worked alongside “excellent” house programmer Pekka Hellsten, and was also “assisted enormously” by the venue’s head of lighting Anders Tuvesson who shared Palle’s passion and enthusiasm for the show and helped in every aspect related to the lighting rig.
(Jim Evans)
