Requiring a reliable communication system that can be easily deployed in a variety of venues, the Birmingham Royal Ballet has adopted a punQtum and Riedel solution specified by UK distributor Autograph.
Based at the historic Birmingham Hippodrome, the Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) is one of five major ballet companies in the United Kingdom, and is known for its intensive touring schedule. Prior to this upgrade, the production team used a two-stage system, comprising a one- or two-channel hard-wired system and a Motorola radio system.
‘Depending on the venue, we often found that their hard-wired systems were far from being able to accommodate the size and complexity of our productions,’ explains Birmingham Royal Ballet Technical Manager of Lighting/AV, Johnny Westall-Eyre. ‘That meant we had an in-house system we couldn’t rely on and that wasn’t maintained by us, and our own Motorola system that only allowed for one person to speak at a time. It wasn’t ideal.’
Having made the decision to upgrade, Andrew Wilson, Head of Lighting & A/V at Birmingham Royal Ballet, contacted Riedel Communications ‘We were looking for a reliable, adaptable and flexible solution that would minimise risks of interference across channels and enable shows to be run in a safer and more efficient manner,’ he says. ‘It needed to be future-proof, multichannel and easy to use, especially while the company is on tour across different venues.’
Riedel UK Sales manager Nacho Lee, put BRB in touch with integration partner Autograph, who offered Wilson a solution combining Riedel’s wireless Bolero and punQtum’s digital wired solution, catering for both team members in fixed positions and those who need to move around during production.
When it came to implementing the new system, punQtum’s digital wired partyline was reserved for team members who maintain a stationary position throughout the production. This included key team members, including the Stage Manager and Assistant Stage Manager, who also benefit from the reliability of a wired communication system in case of signal dropouts. Hard-to-reach positions, such as Follow Spot Operators, were assigned wireless Riedel Boleros due to cabling limitations.
On tour, the Birmingham Royal Ballet now has a system that is reliable and familiar to the crew. ‘The system we’ve built with Autograph means we simply roll the rack in, plug in some cables and do a little testing before it’s ready to play,’ confirms Scott Smith, Senior Lighting Technician at Birmingham Royal Ballet.
The result is better communication backstage and improved performances on stage. More conversations can take place between key players in the team, leading to greater collaboration.
‘Not only does this installation bring better communication, but it also allows Birmingham Royal Ballet to tour with confidence,’ says Autograph Technical Sales Engineer, William Cottrell. ‘They can plan their comms in advance and enjoy a level of consistency from one venue to another.’
