Theatre Technician – Edinburgh Festival Fringe
In August 2011, I travelled to Edinburgh with KTF Productions as a lighting, sound and video effects technician for their production ‘Last Train to Wigan’.
Adele Potter & Hannah Smith
Moving into C Venues with little more than a laptop and too much camera equipment, we set out to wow the Fringe with some great moments from the seventies they may have missed from being a little high on phets. We pulled in audience members from across the ocean and had the privilege to meet some true soulies at the local ‘Hibs Soul Club’.
I was responsible for rigging the projector, angling lights, pulling focus, cueing lighting changes and capturing the whole week on camera. With a few hiccups, including an entire C Venue power blackout, we carried on with little more than a few torches and some true Soulie spirit – Keep the Faith.
I’d never had so little sleep, waking up at 8am to bagsy the shower first in a flat of about twelve of us. Then onto the morning exploration, managing to climb Arthur’s seat, visit the galleries, walk around the castle, watch some other fantastic plays and walk up the Scott Monument. Then to the mile for an hour or two of flyering to pull in our evening audience. Then a few publicity engagements, a visit to the Hibs Club, a BBQ and some members of the cast visited various radio stations. A walk across the entire city back to eat the dinner, gather our equipment for the performance which began at 10pm and didn’t finish until 11. Then we dumped the equipment in the car, shoved it in a friend’s garage and out we went to celebrate the success of the night in various venues and pubs in Edinburgh.
The most tiring week of my life up until that point, but definitely the best! Even with the 8 hour drive back home again. Keep the Faith!
The cast and crew of ‘Last Train to Wigan’
For more about the show visit:
http://john-murphy.co.uk/?p=339
http://www.threeweeks.co.uk/article/ed2011-theatre-review-last-train-to-wigan-ktf-productions/
“You’re here today and you’re gone tomorrow” – Dean Parrish, 1967.
From The Mecca to Va Va’s, The Twisted Wheel to The Golden Torch, and finally The Wigan Casino Club. Taking the audience on a journey to the Northern Soul nightclubs of the mid 70s, Last Train to Wigan is a tale of minimum wage romance, amphetamine fuelled all-nighters, talc covered dance floors and rare imported vinyls. Forget glam rock, prog rock, Donny Osmond and David Cassidy. This is the stomping sound of Northern Soul. When middle aged Mike Walker finds his box of 7” records in the attic, it brings back memories of the two great loves of his life – Stef Meadows and the Casino Club.
A play written and directed by Bob Hawxwell about the redemptive power of music and of growing up, told at a pace that echoes the exuberance of the scene and the BPM of a Ric Tic record. With its original footage and stomping soundtrack all you need to enjoy this story of friendship, love and music is a bit of soul.