CHRONICLE:LightingManagement
CONTROLLINGINTERESTS
JERRYGILBERT’SSERIESONTHEHISTORYOFTHELIVE
ENTERTAINMENTPRODUCTIONINDUSTRYCONTINUES
WITHASTUDYOFHOWLIGHTINGMANAGEMENTCAMEOFAGE...
Since the early days in the theatre, when lighting the fader levels and instantly reproducing them in
control was first made possible by the use of performance. The first installation took place in June
rheostat dimmers, there had been evolving 1968 in Schweinfurt, followed by the Budapest
efforts to elevate light-level management to the Opera... and then the London Coliseum.
maximum effect. With its push-button IDM/R (for Rocker) variant
Early systems involved banks of sliders, bolted (and later redesigned MSR system), 20 systems were
to the stage wall, which had to be physically installed in prestige applications around the world.
moved across anything up to an 18” travel But by 1971 this design model had spawned the
distance to effect single-channel fades. Later, DDM (Digital Dimmer Memory) a system which
it was realised that if the dimmers could be addressed the IDM’s cumbersome procedure
controlled from a remote point, the operator necessary to re-record a modified lighting state.
could actually face the actors. The IDM/R, which also retained immediate access
Some beautiful one-off lighting desks were built, to any channel, became the conceptual prototype
based on the Wurlitzer cinema organ, where each for the first software computer lighting control.
key represented a channel of the lighting system and Developed specifically for the RSC in Stratford-upon-
the tabs and bass pedals were used to control levels Avon, the DDM immediately became recognised as
and effects. the major world class memory lighting console.
When the first thyristor dimmer systems were Strand’s mass-market seller in the early part
introduced the major advantage was the physical of the decade, however, was the MMS (Modular
size of the control systems. All the mains electronics Memory System) which jumped two hurdles in
could be sited onstage with a low-voltage multicore a single stride; it took advantage of low-priced
run back to any convenient point, where a compact, integrated circuit technology and dispensed with a
two-preset desk could control everything. rocker switch per channel in favour of a calculator
Then computer technology intervened. A keypad and wheel, to control up to 480 channels.
theatrical production of two or three hours’ length By 1976, the exacting production schedules
would involve hundreds of different lighting cues, forecast for London’s National Theatre urged
comprising anything up to 120 channels of dimming Richard Pilbrow — the NT’s consultant and
at varying levels and in different combinations. chairman of Theatre Projects — to develop the
The ‘memory’ desk meant that for the first time a concept for a fully-saturated lighting rig, operated
lighting system could be pre-programmed with a by sophisticated, purpose-designed control. Strand’s
series of cues that could be recalled in a desired Lightboard pioneered control of 1,000 channels,
sequence, using only one or two master faders. total control of lighting intensity, position and
Pioneering most theatrical control developments colour, latest-takes-precedence (LTP) principles and
was Strand Electric. Strand had introduced the multiple timed fades.
IDM, the world’s first memory lighting board, in Four years later, Strand came out with the first
1967 from the need to advance from a three- generation of Galaxy controllers, capitalising on
preset manual fader desk to a means of recording modular control and bringing MMS operational
44 • TPiMAY 09
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