Recent content by almorton

Our trucks use nothing you wouldn't find in a regular workshop - wheels, bar, bolts and wood. Just a bit of ingenuity required to make them work. Each one is different yet similar, IYKWIM.

Not pneumatic, but we've built trucks that have lever operated wheels which retract once the truck is in place. I have a feeling of deja vu ... :-)

Interesting replies re the ramp. Thanks.

@ACTSTech - why does your architect think you need a ramp onto the stage? Is that for talent or audience?

I guess being on a military base does change things a little. It sounds like an interesting project, too. There are lots of stages in halls up and down the country which are essentially a timber frame topped off with a deck. The right consultant should be able to advise you on designs which...

As everyone has said, that's a very tight budget, even just to refurbish the stage, let alone the grid as well. We're just about to spend roughly that on replacing the house lights with new LED fittings and controllers. What kind of community theatre are you? Is it a shared space (sort of akin...

Couple of ways my theatre has done rain in the past: Simplest was to make up a movie of drops falling and project it. Actually surprisingly effective. The other, which was more of a storm than rain used a ripple tank rotating so that the apparent movement was downwards, some side lighting on...

When we did it we slightly changed the scene to use a joke gun our props people had found in a toy shop which was a "blunderbuss" type thing with splayed trumpet shaped barrel which fired out a (captive) bouquet of flowers from the barrel when the trigger was pulled. So not an umbrella but the...

The look solutions cryo fog sounds a bit like what you're describing - uses a tank of CO2 as its coolant, but also uses a fog fluid. Does produce a lot of good, dense, low fog.

That's part of the thinking behind "Blah de blah .... and Bob's your auntie".

Not censorship though, is it? People who really have suffered government sponsored censorship in totalitarian regimes will no doubt be (rightly) outraged at her pathetic childish attitude. Hers is just self entitled weight throwing, nothing more. I've got money, I can do as I please.

If the licensing authority sets an absolute limit on the show, then in London that's it - power goes off if they refuse to comply. She will have been made aware of London licencing restrictions unless her tour manager isn't doing their job, so should know better. Diva hissy fit. Nothing to see...

Quite so, Ben. London is really heavy on curfews, and venues have been threatened and in some cases lost their licences (if only temporarily) for overrunning.

Whala? Backlighting with LEDs is eminently possible. Plenty of colour choices. I used some 10mm clear cased white LEDs on a set last year and you could see the beams hitting the back of the auditorium - they were surprisingly bright driven at about 25-30 mA

Small handheld controller for a hoist's motor.