Two of Australia’s great theatre-makers, Artistic Director Kip Williams and playwright Tommy Murphy, joined forces for the world premiere of Sydney Theatre Company’s On the Beach.
In 1957, Nevil Shute’s classic novel On the Beach introduced the world to an uncanny post-apocalyptic vision that sees Australia as one of the last surviving outposts of civilisation on a planet destroyed by nuclear fallout. This new and gripping portrait of Australian society is a prescient insight into the times we are living through and a deeply poignant reverie on the indestructible power of human connection.
Lighting designer Damien Cooper says that he has done a few shows with Kip Williams adding that he has a great understanding of theatrical rhythm and is very open to what you bring to the table, yet he will tell you if it’s not working.
Damien says that it was important to achieve a sense of effortlessness with this design.
“The subject matter is brutal; nuclear armageddon, romance, submarines, the search for hope, mass suicide, and finally hope,” he relayed. “The lighting design chases 31 scenes set in the 1950s that convey a sense of normality, sunny waterside piers and evening parties on verandahs. These are juxtaposed with dreams, nightmares, submarine journeys, Formula 1 car crashes and a departure from the submarine in desolate America ravaged by a nuclear war.”
The set, designed by Micheal Hankin, consisted of a revolve, panorama cloths, rear cloth and a tracking cloth that was rigged on a gantry system that tracked upstage-downstage. The cloths were all transparent, probably double the density of a standard shark’s tooth gauze. The STC LX dept and Damien spent some time testing the best way to light these cloths.
“I knew that the production would be best served by keeping the heat of the light low so a ground row position was best but there was a list of issues,” began Damien. “The upstage cloth was on the last available fly line, the cloths floated about 300mm above the show deck and it’s a very prop-heavy show requiring large trucks to move on and offstage whilst act 2 needed the stage to be empty. The lights would be seen through the cloths. Plus at the narrowest point, we had 700mm of space between the venue wall and cloth. Tight! We ended up with 27 x ETC Source 4 Lustres series 2 with cyc adaptors. Upstage was rigged on rolling ground row trucks, the side fixtures were on four panorama bars with 2400mm dropper pipes so the cast could walk through them and fly to allow scenery access.”
The LX hire package was provided by Chameleon Touring Systems with Damien commenting that Tony Davies was very supportive, helping them achieve the large moving light package which was essential to chase all the large scenery items on the revolve.
GLP X4 bar 10s created curtains of light in the haze that allowed a large number of prop setups on the revolve to be hidden and to create the toxic landscapes needed with industrial greens and grey blues.
“I’m a big fan of these and I’m looking forward to the next generation of X5s arriving in hire companies,” said Damien.
Also in the rig were a selection of ETC Source 4s, Martin MAC Encore Performance CD, MAC Quantum Wash, Look Solutions Vipers and an MDG Hazer.
Set electrics included a 7-metre-high sodium vapour battery-operated lamp post that spun on the revolve, party lights, two contamination suits with light-up faces, a decontamination shower/smoke FX and a tonne of relays to activate various scenery FX.
“I had a great LX team led by Andrew Tompkins,” commented Damien. “Jesse Greig, who I have seen grow from student/secondment/fellow covid sufferer on Blithe Spirit to now production electrician on this show, did a great job. He ran a seamless bump in with Amy, Anastasia, Andrew and Tim. I have to draw attention to how good the focus was, for a kinetic show with scenery constantly moving the conventional focus did not move. Plus to highlight Amy and Andrew’s spirit levelling the 27 lustre cyc’s … rocket science!”
Corinne Fish programmed the show, and Damien thanks her for chasing endless curtain parts/delays and tying the rig in knots as they tracked that revolving submarine.
Although there were over a hundred LED fixtures on this show allowing for the creation of a post-apocalyptic world, Damien says that his favourite look was the epilogue.
“However, it was embargoed, so I’m not sure I can even talk about it now!” he said. “Anyway, the tracking curtain walked one of the stars of the show downstage with a huge shadow growing with her. It then flew out to reveal a brand new scenery element lit only with incandescent fixtures, a 5K fresnel and a few pars. So simple, so good.”
LX Crew
STC Head LX: Andrew Tompkins
Production LX: Jesse Greig
Head LX: Amy Robertson
ETC Eos Programmer: Corinne Fish
Lighting Operator: Anastasia Mowan
Focused By: Andrew Williams and Tim McNaught
Director: Kip Williams
Set Designer: Michael Hankin
Costume Designer: Mel Page
Lighting Designer: Damien Cooper
Composer: Grace Ferguson
Sound Designer: Jessica Dunn
Photos: Daniel Boud
