Now that I’ve had time to stop, I’m reflecting on what a busy year its been for me. It started back in January with the return of Spamalot UK tour, then came March with Legally Blonde. Before I’d really had chance to catch my breath it was September. I was delighted to be asked to design an all new musical penned by Local Coventry Writer, Geoff Thompson, with music by the band The Enemy. The production opened at The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, the bands home. It was fantastic to be working with lead singer Tom Clarke who was musically supervising the project. As we headed into November and Panto season it was great to return to the Mercury Theatre for their most successful panto yet, Jack in the Beanstalk. I had a great time on the show which is the last panto within their venue for a year or two, as they prepare for a refit. Almost as soon as the Colchester show was open, I dashed back up north to begin work on StoryHouse’s production of The Wizard of Oz. I was excited to be working in a new venue with such a great team. The show was one of my all time favourites, and with eleven in the pit and a cast of around 32, there was a lot to get my teeth into. This was also the first time I’d used some of the d&b Y7P speakers. They did a great job. A big thanks goes to supervisor Alex Beetschen and Musical Director George Francis, for all their help and to the StoryHouse sound team for doing such a great job.
Meanwile back in the office at dBS Solutions we were also having our busiest Christmas season yet, with an additional four shows out over the season. I think by Christmas we had all earned a little break.
No rest for the wicked though, and the day after Boxing Day saw me working with The Halle Orchestra in Manchester, amplifying a concert to film of Cassino Royale. It was great to see and hear the film in all it’s full orchestral glory.
January saw the opening of one of my faverate shows Avenue Q. I was thrilled when my friends at Sell A Door told me that our production was returning for another UK tour. It’s a show I just never get bored of. We opened in Postmouth and pressed the next week in The New Wimboldon to some great reviews including this one.