Found111 is a pop-up theatre performance space run by Emily Dobbs Productions in the old Central St Martins School of Art & Design on Charing Cross Road. Emily explained her reason behind embarking upon such a project. "When the prospect of taking on an alternative space in the heart of the West End came along, what really attracted me to it was the chance to create a level of intimacy that is rare in the West End.
"A venue where the space becomes an integral part of your experience, from the moment you walk in, climb the stairs and take your seat. Found111 is a temporary space, and this allows us to be bold and specific in what we produce. Spaces that sit alongside the traditional and reflect the different kinds of work being created are vital to theatre's evolution."
Lighting designer Richard Howell said, "From the outset, I worked closely with the director (Simon Evans), set designer (Ben Stones), and sound designer (Edward Lewis); we met up during rehearsals to discuss the visual tone of the piece and then put it all together during the technical rehearsal."
The brief Richard was given for lighting Bug was specific, he explained. "We wanted to create a realistic 'seedy motel' environment within the Found111 space, and one that felt natural to the audience who will pretty much be in it! The lighting also needed to work in tandem with Edward Lewis' incredible sound design to push the piece into increasingly heightened and twisted territory as the story progressed."
Howell continued "PRG XL Video supplied me with a mixture of tungsten and LED lighting equipment. The tungsten units (a mixture of Source Four profiles and Acclaim Fresnels) were used to create the initial lamplight and sunlight whilst the LED units (moving heads and pars) created the artificial neon world that invades the characters' minds by the end of the play. I found everyone at PRG XL Video to be incredibly helpful. John Pauls worked especially hard to make sure we got what we needed."
PRG XL Video's joint head of theatre, Peter Marshall commented, "PRG is pleased to support Found111, this intimate performance space, and work along-side Producer Emily Dobbs who has an excellent reputation for producing critically acclaimed and ground breaking new material in a very unique venue. It was also good to collaborate with Lighting Designer, Richard Howell, and give him the tools to create the various scenes, and to portray the diverse moods of this exciting new production."
(Jim Evans)
