Tropicana... On Ice

It’s fast becoming a tradition for TPi to end each year by visiting a new Holiday On Ice production and seeing how the creatives at Stage Entertainment have embraced new technologies and design concepts. Even after 67 years, the company has a reputation for never repeating itself, so a surprise or two will always be in store.   

    At the start of December, I was back at Dortmund’s Westfalenhalle to catch a performance of Holiday On Ice’s latest touring epic, Tropicana, for which Olympic champion skater Robin Cousins MBE has returned as creative director and Edwin Piekny has designed an impressive array of costumes.

    Unlike many other heavily-themed HOI productions, Tropicana is a variety show without a narrative, that blends a wide range of emotional atmospherics to songs originally made famous by Barry Manilow, including the Latin-hued ‘Copacabana’ and his ballad ‘Mandy’.

    The aim, as always with this entertainment brand, is to use ice skating as a theatrical medium within an increasingly spectacular production design framework that ultimately comes under the jurisdiction of technical director Bogdan Lewko.

    “With every new production we challenge ourselves to take a step forward,” said executive producer Hans Staal. “And following our last major project, Energia [TPi Jan 2009], we’ve turned to video technology to create a very versatile, inspirational and dynamic set.”

    Currently touring around Europe with a permanent entourage of 62, including the performers cast by Jayne Hamelink, the show is normally set up within 10 hours following a rigging day. Tropicana employs six production trucks (four are double-layered) plus a further two to transport Stage Entertainment’s own ice rink systems.

    “We are unique in being able to tour our ice system in climates up to 48°C,” said technical manager Valeri Petrov. “We’ll be returning to an amphitheatre in Villamosa, Mexico this summer where the average temperature is around 44°C and our ice is fascinating for the locals.”

    Tropicana’s set was designed by Piet de Koninck with technical input from lighting/video designer Luc Peumans, while the ingenious palette of video content was created by a team of six filmmakers under the direction of Dirk Decloedt who previously worked on Céline Dion’s resident Las Vegas show, A New Day.

    Aside from the skill, grace and precision of the skating cast, the focal point of Tropicana is the expansive video wall containing AOTO LED tiles, hired from XL Video’s Belgian office.

    Fabricated by Wicreations (see boxout) and measuring 20m wide x 10m high, it consists of 265 individual 80cm x 80cm LED cubes and includes doors to enable skaters to enter and exit the rink. It also features a large area that can be pushed out to create a 3D effect.

    Precise pixelmapping — enabled by time code-driven Smode Studio control software — ensures that the VT content flows accurately from cube to cube, to produce a seamless widescreen image across the wall. The modular nature of the wall means that a portion of the cubes can be removed when the show plays venues with lower ceilings.

    “Without doubt, the video element of the show is such a powerful artistic statement, but we have to remind ourselves that the audience is coming to watch ice skating,” said Staal.

    “So we had to drop a few of the really beautiful production ideas in order to maintain an attractive and honest balance between the set and the live action. I think we’ve got it just about right.”

    The video content is played out from Windows XP-based media servers that were custom-built by French company, DIP Labs. In charge of all things video is Paul ‘Diggy’ Diegnan.

LIGHTING & SOFT GOODS
Also based in Belgium, Flashlight APR is the supplier of both sound and lighting. Busy in Antwerp on the latest Clouseau show at the time of my visit, Luc Peumans’ choice of lighting fixtures for Tropicana included 42 Vari*Lite VL3000 Spots, 18 VL3500 Washes and 12 Clay Paky Alpha Beam 1500s.

    The VL3000 spots are fitted with six special Rosco gobos that were custom-designed by Peumans’ company, Painting With Light. He also chose 68 Xilver Solar LED battens to position around the ice rink.

    Conventionals are in the form of 12 Martin Atomic 3000 strobes and six Robert Juliat Ivanhoe HMI 2500 spots with Wybron CXI scrollers that are automatically controlled by a Zactrack system using the DMX 512 protocol.

    The kit is completed with a pair of Vi-Count Concept CO2 hazers and everything is controlled from a grandMA full-size console, programmed by Paco Mispelters.

    ShowTex made the black masking drapes and backdrops for the show in Molton CS using around 500m2 of fabric. They were woven from inherently and permanently flame resistant yarn, are almost wrinkle free, and have a single sided pile.

    These were manufactured in Showtex’s sewing workshop with single band webbing on the back at multiple heights instead of just at the top so the curtains are easy to hang in locations with different heights.

    “This was a great solution to provide ultimate flexibility for touring, it means the curtains’ lengths don’t have to be adjusted for different venues and makes them easier to hang,” said Showtex’s Jessica Ballenger.

    The Antwerp firm also provided its patented Pipe Snaps, a quick relocation system for borders, legs and backdrops, designed with a swivel hook and simple rope activated release system.

AUDIO
All areas of the production are synchronised by a universal show control time code that is triggered by the audio department. The playback music — recorded at Amsterdam’s Power Sound Studio — is stored on a Pro Tools system and mixed live by engineer Boris Butler on a Digidesign D-Show Profile console.

    Selected by sound designer Leo van den Boogaard, the PA is a mix of the Synco W8LC compact (centre hangs) and W8LM mini (side hangs) line arrays by Martin Audio, with additional Renkus Heinz/Synco RH-STS loudspeakers for fill-in and subs.

    To assist the skaters, there are two further RH-STS speakers suspended above the rink. The W8L arrays are powered by Martin’s proprietary amplifiers while Crest 7001 and 8001 amps run the RH-STS cabinets.

    While Mark Naylor designed the lion’s share of the skaters’ choreography, others deserving of mention include associate producer Kiki Venhuizen, tour manager Frank Paquet, assistant tour manager Simone Summerfiield, operations manager Irina Grygor, ice department manager Slawomir Walicha and musical director Maurice Luttikhuis.

    Bravo, one and all...!
TPi