CONCERTS / RAVES

FASHION SHOWS
CIRCULAR SCENARIOS
MAUREZIO CATTELAN “ALL”
GUGGENHEIM 2012
FUERZA BRUTA
CHANEL, GRAND PALAIS
GOLBE THEATRES
OMA
KANYE WEST 7-SCREEN PAVILION
2012
PROJECTION
MERCE CUNNINGHAM
DANCE COMPANY
 theatreproduction
HOUSE OF DANCING WATER
MACAU, 2010
Above, the stage with central lifts lowered. Right, a projection
showing the size of the pool relative to the theatre above.

Customised seating, conceived by Michel Crête and supervised by

TPC’s John Runia, has been manufactured by Series Seating. This is
cantilevered over the performance pool with the front row level with
the water’s edge (the audience in the first few rows are issued with
towels on arrival!). The shallow rake draws all 14 rows into the same
space and, at Crête’s request, the fabric on each seat carries
a different visual style of colours and patterns which blend to form an

Photography ©FDEG
abstract tapestry.

The roof rises 36m to the grid with eight levels bearing dive platforms
and launch pads for aerial artists and divers. A 360° performer does not, so we had to go LED. To keep the drivers in a user-
catwalk
Above: A plan onthe
showing Level 4 lifts
stage hasandloading
(right) and unloading of
a previsualisation zones forraised
the lifts artists and the stage
to create platform, and
accessible, lowered
dry spacetowe
reveal the pool.
needed to run cable a distance of 90m.
scenery, 17m above the pool. The stage management runs a system “Artistic pushed the boundaries hard in developing CP24 to handle
of traffic control over the backstage passenger lifts to ensure each the huge distances involved, and the engineering required to keep
The Dive Com system is controlled independently via a Yamaha The eight main lifts are moved independently using 32 hydraulic
cast member is on the right level at any given time. the drivers in the dry.”
M7CL32 digital console and a Yamaha DME64N processor from the cylinders, four on each lift, supplied by Comoso of California. FTSI’s
monitor mix room. The underwater system is inspected weekly by the Navigator software uses position encoders and load cells to maintain
From the pool down, another five levels house hydraulic
six-strong sound crew, four of whom are certified divers, headed by pumps for of the hydraulic
the balance Underwater Video
cylinders & Comms
to keep the platforms level, and
lifts and
Jason Graham, whospecial effects, for
are responsible compressor chambers
the SVC systems of the for air effects,
to coordinate the vertical
The travel and positioning
pool has of all lifts from
its own underwater sound, video and communication
whole show.
a massive water filtration system and a huge holding tank used as different control locations around the theatre.
system - the largest of its kind - which plays an important part in the
a drain pool during maintenance periods. safety and smooth running of the show. The system is composed of
Pool lifts and stage “A major challenge was the mating of our control system with that of
Literally taking the action to a different level, sinking to a depth of 7m
16 SplashCam underwater video cameras and four Shark Marine
Stage Technologies’ rigging control system,” says FTSI’s Scott
The Pool cameras
or rising to 1m above the surface, are 11 automated stage lifts which Fisher. “We were able to designattached
a protocoltothat
thewould
divers’ helmets,
enable the as well as 36 Lubell Labs
Of the pool’s 50m diameter, only 21m is visible
transform the pool into a dry stage. Four lifts are arranged in a north, to the audience. The
drivers in the HandlingLL916 underwater
Specialty/FTSI loudspeakers.
stage Theto diver
lift system to talk and cameras link to a CCTV
south, east remainder is used asaround
and west orientation wingspace (finspace?)
a central lift with threefor underwater
wider scenery
coordinate system installed throughout the theatre and to a direct controllable
with the Stage Technology system, so both systems can
storage
lifts, N1, N2 and N3,and artistupstage
located entrances. Water
and three longis vomitory
kept at alifts
high levelact
of purity
as one.”for Honeywell video system at the Aquatic show call console position.
allowing drytheexit and entryofpoints.
wellbeing All fit together
the performers and to make
the 28a divers
perfectlywho manoeuvre
flat surface. This is a striking visual element of the show, FTSI also created a driver that was able to import Maya information
scenery and escort artists on and off under the water. Divers are connected to the upper ‘dry’ show system via
accompanied by the distinctive ‘whooshing’ sound of water from Dragone’s complex previsualised lift moves, created at the
displacement, which Dragone uses to punctuate moments a custom-designed
rehearsal venue in Lint, Divemotion
Belgium, into the stage Com cues
Umbilical, comprising a two-button
when the
To the audience it seems as if people simply disappear below the communication box, a Dive Com full face mask with built-in
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
“KA”
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