Robe BMFL
Spot moving lights have been specified for France’s famous Arlette Gruss Circus
show which started its 2016 winter tour at the Place des Quinconces in
Bordeaux.
Since
2009, the show has been staged in the 1500 seater ‘Cathedral’ tent venue, an
impressive structure that features 8 masts and is 83 metres long by 49 metres
wide with 20 metres of headroom.
With
those dimensions, they needed a spot fixture with some serious brightness! They
also wanted a unit that was flexible and properly multi-purpose.
The 11 x BMFL
Spots – replacing older 1500W series moving lights from another manufacturer – were delivered by leading French rental
company Dushow after being chosen for the lighting rig by Circus lighting
designer Arthur Oudin.
Dushow
has enjoyed a productive long term relationship with the Circus as a technical
supplier.
Arthur Oudin
and Circus stage manager Julien Lhomme initially saw the BMFL Spot in action
during a Robe roadshow in 2014, and immediately saw its potential for the
Arlette Gruss show.
Thanks to
Dushow, who invested steadily in BMFLs throughout 2015, they were able to test
the fixture during the summer and ensure it was exactly the right match for
them.
“It’s
absolutely the most powerful spot moving light on the market right now,” he confirms,
“and this was our main requirement so it’s perfect”. Apart from brightness, they
also loved the standard gobos which have proved very popular generally in the
BMFL Spot.
The Circus
lighting rig is flown above a custom made circular stage in the main
performance ring, an essentially hostile environment for any technical kit
which has to contend with severe heat – temperatures can peak in the roof at
over 50 degrees – and humidity.
Robe fixtures
are however used to dealing with these extremities and tough operating
conditions.
Recently
in Brazzaville, Congo, BMFLs on the African Games Opening Ceremony lighting rig
withstood a sandstorm, and BMFLs also proved impervious to dust ingress during the
Nuits de la Guitare event in Corsica, where many other pieces of equipment failed
due to the severely dry conditions.
The BMFL
Spot fixtures were supplied to Dushow via Robe’s French subsidiary – Robe
Lighting France SAS, one of a number of high profile successes reported by Robe
France in the 12 months since the company was founded.
http://www.robe.cz
Photos : Fabrice Vallon
