HSL Supplies Lighting for Wicked Game Tour for Il Divo

UK lighting and visual rentals specialist HSL's is supplying lighting, Kinesys automation system, and crew to operatic / pop vocal superstars Il Divo. The crossover group has just completed the first full production UK and European leg of their Wicked Game world tour.

It was HSL's first tour with the band, after being brought on-board by tour director and production manager Andy Proudfoot. Lighting designer Matt Pitman started work with Il Divo for this tour following a one-off stadium show in Paraguay at the end of 2011. His design has brought additional vibrancy to the set and screen elements that are part of artistic director Brian Burke's visual concept.

The tour is project managed by Mike Oates. Pitman has been involved in various projects with HSL, and comments, "What can I say -- an absolutely brilliant company! Their attitude, standards, and work ethics are amazing, and best of all, they are all genuine people. It is like dealing professionally with your friends."

The schedule of the first three months of the Wicked Game tour meant that they were picking up local production everywhere based on a spec. During this time, HSL was still very proactive in supporting Pitman and the production.

Rupert Reynolds provided numerous sets of drawings, and all the necessary paperwork needed by Pitman to advance the initial shows smoothly, supplied and backed up by HSL. "Rupert's assistance was invaluable" affirms Pitman.

Burkes' set design for Wicked Game features three striking curved screens. The main brief was that the lighting rig had to compliment these and also fit around them in terms of rigging. Pitman responded by curving his trusses to the same degree as the orchestra risers below, with the help of custom fabricated corner sections that worked with HSL's special James Thomas pre-rigged truss.

Pitman chose 25 Martin MAC 3Ks to be his key over-stage moving lights. "I love the beam and its definition, it remains so sharp and has great depth of field even over long distances" he says, "They are the only profile that I would ever spec for this size of design."

There were two overhead trusses comprising of four 3m two 2m sections curved using the hinges, plus a straight 15m front truss. Spread over these were the 25 MAC 3Ks together with 20 Vari*Lite 3500 washes and two Vari*Lite 1000 ASs.

On the deck were 15 x MAC 700 profiles. Under the orchestra risers sat 24 Robe ROBIN 600 LED washes. Focussed on the upstage cyc and side drapes were 12 x Vari*Lite 3500 washes, and on the sides at the back of the stage for low level cross stage beams shooting downwards, were six Robe ColorBeam 700E ATs.

Pitman operates the show using a grandMA1 full size console.

The Kinesys system was operated by Andy "Paris" Hilton and consists of nine Liftket one ton motors with Kinesys Elevation 1+ controllers fitted, three of which were used on each of the three curved video screens, made up from Pixled F-11 panels supplied by XL Video.

Hilton used one of HSL's Kinesys Vector controllers and had 19 cues in the show, mostly taking place during the blackouts, with a few super-subtle ones during strategic songs.

HSL's Oates comments, "We're very proud to work on a tour of this caliber and with Andy [Proudfoot] and the team, all delivering such high production values. Matt [Pitman] has made a superb job of the design, the whole show is absolutely world class with the popularity and stature of the tour speaking for themselves."