The Rose Theatre Kingston, the largest producing theatre in south-west London, has become the first performing arts venue in the UK to install Martin’s MAC Viper XIP, adding 30 fixtures to its house rig and replacing the theatre’s previous MAC Encores as its principal moving-head fixture.
Emma Sayers, Head of Lighting & Stage at the Rose Theatre Kingston, first encountered the MAC Viper XIP at a private demonstration at the 2023 PLASA Show. After a direct comparison with the older MAC Encores, she was impressed by the superior performance of the new fixtures. “The colours are so much more saturated, and it does pastel colours nicely too. And because you can do the high contrast colours and the subtle colours it works for what we do here,” Emma says. “It was ticking all of the boxes.”
The fixture’s ability to handle both bold, high-contrast colours and subtle nuances is key for the Rose Theatre, which hosts a wide variety of events, from dramatic plays and one-nighters to comedic performances and annual shows like their popular Christmas production. For the theatre’s upcoming production of Robin Hood and the Christmas Heist, the versatility of the Viper XIPs will be crucial in bringing the set to life, with vibrant greens for the forest and reds for the Sheriff of Nottingham’s Castle.
One standout feature for Emma is the improved gobo quantity and selection, including her personal favourite ‘String Theory’, which provides incredible flexibility. “You can sharpen it and make it look jazzy for a one-nighter when it’s getting beamed through loads of haze, but you can also soften it and it makes a nice texture on the floor. Don’t judge a gobo at first glance!”, said Emma.
This flexibility is down to a newly-designed optical system which combines unmatched gobo projection sharpness and high-contrast levels, paired with brilliant and crisp lens designs to ensure razor-sharp mid-air effects. The MAC Viper XIP also features proprietary light recycling technology which enables 25% additional output when a gobo is inserted in the light path for increased performance and efficiency.
The ability to seamlessly shift between different aesthetics allows for a broad creative palette, vital for the wide-ranging productions at the Rose Theatre. The MAC Viper XIPs’ ability to adjust its light diffusion without swapping frost filters has been another key benefit.
“It has heavy and light diffusion built in, so there’s no changing frost filters,” Emma notes. “Rather than swapping out for different fixtures for every show, these do everything.”
The Rose Theatre Kingston has a unique architectural layout, which can be a challenge for visiting productions. “Our grid here is a very unusual shape,” explains Emma. “there are no parallel lines and no centre line over stage, so it can be daunting to adapt a touring lighting design. But the flexibility of the Viper helps LDs relight or adapt their show.
The decision to move to the next generation of Martin fixtures was an easy one for Emma. “I knew we were early adopters but I had no reservations because I trust Martin,” she says. “I spoke to lots of lighting designers in advance of getting them. It was a natural progression to continue that relationship, and move to the next generation of fixtures.”
Emma also highlights the importance of subtlety in certain types of performances, particularly drama, where even the slightest shift in colour can have a major impact. “When you’re doing dramas and want to do a subtle shift in colour, you don’t want to see the flags moving in any way and Martin is really good for that.”
The installation of the MAC Viper XIPs was made possible through SLX, a long-term partner of the Rose Theatre Kingston. Ruari Cormack, Account Manager at SLX, played a key role in ensuring the theatre had the right fixtures for its requirements.
“SLX has been brilliant,” Emma adds. “They understand our needs, and they’re always on hand to provide support whenever we need it.”
With the installation of the Martin MAC Viper XIP fixtures, the Rose Theatre has elevated its lighting capabilities to new heights. The venue can now offer more vibrant, nuanced, and adaptable lighting solutions than ever before. From enhancing the visual quality of their productions to overcoming the challenges posed by their unique grid layout, the Viper XIPs are proving to be an invaluable asset. Combined with ongoing support from SLX, the theatre is well-positioned to continue delivering exceptional lighting experiences to audiences for years to come.
