When news broke of Take That’s revival of The Circus Live Tour, an iconic production that set the benchmark for stadium-sized spectacles in 2009, it was clear that this would be an ambitious feat not only by critical standards but one that would demand an approach befitting modern touring conventions and technology as TPi discovered at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium.
Leading the 150-plus touring party, veteran Production Director, Chris Vaughan; Production Manager, Richard ‘Wez’ Wearing; Production Coordinator, Lizzie Graham; Site Coordinators, Phil Broad and Jez Craddick; Technical Designers and Engineers Wonder Works enlisted a range of suppliers including: Area Four Industries and Litec (circus tent fabrication and hinge mechanisms), Skan PA Hire – part of the Clair Global (audio), Phoenix Bussing (crew and artist travel), EPS (barricades), Eat Your Hearts Out (catering), Airworks Inflatables – part of TAIT (ringmaster inflatable), Buffalo Power Services (power), The Wire Rig Company (aerial performance rigging), Artem (scenic and props), Stageco (upstage steel and sub deck infrastructure), The Next Stage (set construction and staging), ER Productions and FABER Entertainment Engineering (SFX), 4Wall Entertainment (video), Neg Earth Lights (lighting, trussing and automation), Blackout (circus tent and soft goods), The Event Safety Shop (safety consultants), Wonder Works (production design and coordination), CSE Crosscom (radios), and Asylum SFX (elephant scenic). The creative team included Creative Director, Kim Gavin; Production Designer, Misty Buckley; Lighting Designer, Patrick Woodroffe and Tim Routledge Design; Props and Art Direction, Laura Woodroffe and Richard Olivieri.
Phoenix Bussing provided seven, 16-berth and three, 14-berth buses, extending its two decade long collaboration with the camp. Stewart Scott of Phoenix Bussing, who visited the tour in Cardiff, said: “This is a great team to work with, and a fantastic start to a busy summer season. With it being so hot, I’m sure the crew enjoyed jumping in the cool busses.”
Read the full front cover feature story below…
Words: Jacob Waite
Photos: Emma Tranter and TPi
