Although still only in the initial phase for Fredericia Theatre’s
production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid
– The Musical, production designers Anders D. Jensen and Jens Frausing
already had their eyes on SGM’s LB-100 LED Balls; lighting designer Christian
Vigsø had introduced them to the IP65-rated RGB pixel strings at one of his
designs for the Kolding Light Festival — set in a much different outdoor
environment. The production team was keen to use them in their attempt to
reinvigorate theatre scenography, and once implemented, the result has lived up
to all their expectations.
648 LB-100 – each measuring 0.85m and containing seven RGB
semi-transparent LED balls – are driven by 18 SGM TLD-612A, run by a Hippotizer
Rackoon and suspended from the roof as a curtain wall in different lengths with
a maximum of 6 meters. Decorated with small pieces of cloth, the strings
resemble sea grass for the show’s Under
the Sea scenes. “We chose the LED Balls for this act of the show to bring
life into the sea grass elements. And as the act evolves, we are able to
animate them and broaden the colour spectrum from green shades to multiple
colours, making them transfer into a show light. Normal LED strips would not be
able to create the same effect for us,” Frausing explains.
Another 216 LB-100 have creatively been built into a volcano
setting for the villainous character Ursula, where they pulse underneath a
linen cloth simulating a flow of lava. “It was awesome to have a product that
we were able to animate to provide this pulsating effect while at the same time
changing colours,” says Frausing.
As these balls, with a 360° viewing angle, form part of the decorative effect
lighting, the task was in the hands of the production designers rather than the
lighting designers. Anders D. Jensen explains: “The stage setup is constructed
around massive LED screens, and the use of LED Balls makes it possible for us
to blur the transition from graphical to physical elements through animation,
bringing life and depth into this underwater setting.”
The two production
designers are always looking to be inspired by new elements that can be adapted
into their settings to revitalise the art form of theatre and continue to
astonish the spectators. Fortunately, Vigsø Light & Show Design supplied
exactly that element with the SGM LB-100.
The production by
Fredericia Theatre has been extremely well received; it opened by playing one
month at The Royal Opera House in Copenhagen and then to have its revival
premiere at Fredericia Theatre, where its running time has now been prolonged
well into the fall.
Already it has
been declared the most-watched theatrical performance in Denmark in 2014,
exceeding 90,000 sold tickets.
“We have received
much positive response for our visual efforts; a lot of credit is also due to
this product [the LB-100] that has enabled us to create an unprecedented space
and an environment for this production,” Frausing concludes.
