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Off On A Job

Here we are at last.  Packing the bags and heading off to Kent for some of the most hectic lighting work I think I’ve ever done.  In the next few days, I will attend twelve hours of rehearsals, cut over one hundred and fifty pieces of colour, receive some of the swishest and heaviest kit I’ve ever rigged, and try my very best not to worry.  Then on Sunday, at 9 a.m., we’ll head into the theatre, and commence the first of four 14-hour days of rigging, focusing, plotting and teching for West Side Story.  My programmer, who is far nerdier than I am when it comes to all things electrical, says it’ll be fine.  A walk in the park.  My director, who is far more experienced than I am, informs me that he has perfect faith, while my tech manager, who goes down as one of the best tech managers I’ve ever worked with, phones me on a fairly regular basis to worry that the orders won’t come through, the colour won’t be right and the circuits won’t take the load.

For my part… I think I’ve decided to stop worrying about the lighting, which is an interesting but I would argue, entirely sensible stance for a lighting designer to take.  At this late stage, there’s really no point sitting down with the plan and trying to move everything again, I’ll just go round and round in circles, and really, if I have made a cock-up somewhere along the line, surely the ridiculous number of options I’ve built into the rig will cover it, right?  No point twitching.  Slow breathing.  Deep breaths.  Maybe a zen Kit Kat to see us on the way.  Which reminds me!  I must remember, somewhere between the rig and the focus, to try and find cake to put out on the production desk.  Whoever said that you shouldn’t eat in a theatre during a tech, has clearly never worked in lighting…