Blitz!
Dates: 8 May 1962 - 19 September 1963 (568 performances)
Related Equipment:
Documents
Letter from Fred Bentham about System CD for Adelphi for Blitz (February 1962)
[472kb PDF]
From David Bertenshaw Collection
Music, Lyrics and Direction by Lionel Bart
Production Designed by: Sean Kenny
Lighting: Richard Pilbrow (see video below)
Sound: David Collison
Costumes designed by Bernard Sarron
The Strand Pattern 263 profile was designed and built for this production. Lighting for the show was operated on a Strand CD console which was part of a newly installed lighting system for the show. Martin Moore was one of the operators. The Reiche & Vogel Blitzgerät (Flashgun) was imported from Germany for the production by Richard Pilbrow. The electronic flashgun is focussed to produce a convincing lightning bolt on stage. A number of them were used in the show for explosion effects.
The complex scenic choreography (four independently motorised two storey steel-framed trucks) were driven by on-board crew members, co-ordinated by stage managers looking down on the stage from the flys. The scenery on each truck could also rotate independently to reveal different facades to the audience. The radios used to communicate between them all is believed to be the first use of radio communications in British theatre.
From the programme:
The mechanical effects, including Mobile Scenic Towers, Self-Propelled Bridge and the Revolving Panorama were supplied by Hall Stage Equipment.
Lighting Design, Scenic Projection, Specialised Equipment and Sound Effects by Theatre Projects Ltd.
Scenery built by E.Babbage and Co and painted by Alick Johnstone
Lighting Equipment, Control System and Optical Effects by Strand Electric and Engineering Co. Ltd
Sound Equipment by Stagesound and Multi-tone.
Sound effects supervised by David Collison (Theatre Projects Ltd.)
"The smoke used on the stage is harmless - it is made from vaporised glycerine"