Page 10 - Quadrangle_Autumn_2017

10
LIGHT
FANTASTIC
When Grant Anderson (2008) came up with the idea of making an on-
stage river ‘light up’ while working on the Heriot’s 2006 production of
A Year and a Day, little did he know this was to be the start of a road to
international acclaim as a lighting designer. Encouraged by his Drama
Teacher, Julia Arya, to explore the backstage side of theatre, Grant
remembers working closely with the School’s Expressive Arts Technician
Ross McTaggart, who got him started lighting school productions and,
gave him an invaluable hands-on education in theatre.
“I have always found the way in which light
can transform a space fascinating. Without
it we are in darkness and its presence can tell
us so much more than just simple illumination
of a space. It helps create atmosphere,
communicate time of day, temperature and
location to name but a few.”
Fast forward to 2017 and Grant is one
of Scotland’s leading lighting designers.
Demand for his skill has taken him around the
World from the UK to Rio, New York, Dubai
and Beijing for theatre productions of every
size and genre, additionally including large-
scale outdoor events. His impressive portfolio
includes West End and Broadway hits such
as Chess, 9 to 5 and The Addams Family,
and renowned events such as Edinburgh’s
Hogmanay and the light spectacular in the
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Botanic
Lights 2015 and 2016.
Remembering his time at Heriot’s which
began in P1, following in the footsteps of
his father, Grant learned early that it was
important to work in a job that he enjoyed.
“I had a passion for theatre and loved sports;
I was in the 1st XV Rugby team,” he recalls.
“But ironically, even though I was pretty
terrible at Maths, it is Gregor Dickson who
stands out as someone I remember well…
not just as my Maths teacher, but mainly
from the great chats about theatre we had
as he is a huge theatre buff. I remember Mr
Dickson organised our second year trip to
London to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and
The Lion King. I caught up with him recently
at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre when I
was opening a production of Chess. It was
brilliant to catch up and I follow his thoughts
on theatre through Twitter which is great.” companies from across the country were
“The School had a fantastic Drama
department; Mrs Arya and Miss Henderson*
took us to see a lot of shows and I remember
trips to The Theatre Royal Glasgow and
seeing shows like The History Boys - a
11
national touring piece of theatre. My Grant is responsible for the spectacular Hogmanay what we want to tell the audience and what we
want them to experience and from there we
favourite theatre trip was to The Bacchae,
lighting display on Edinburgh Castle.
storyboard ideas.”
produced by The National Theatre of
Image by Ryan Buchanan
Scotland and starring Alan Cumming -
both of whom I have since worked for and “In 2016 the theme was ‘explore’, we took
people on a journey around the globe by tying
with respectively.” One of Grant’s biggest
in world geography to where the plants were
memories from school is the department’s
telling the story of plant hunters in Asia on the
Connections Festival as part of first and
involvement in the National Theatre physically planted within the garden, such as
second year Drama. Chinese Hillside through water projection and
creating our own version of the Santa Monica
“I designed the lighting for A Year and a Day Pier at the Cedar Trees of California.”
which was performed at School and at the
Royal Lyceum Theatre. Then a select few “The same principles apply to the production
of a drama, musical or event. We start with the
chosen to perform at The National Theatre story and create a concept, everything gets
in London, so it ran there.” It was this broken down to establish a storyboard before
building it all back up again to create the end
experience as well as working on numerous product.”
School productions by which Grant gained
the knowledge that lay the key foundations
for his career in lighting design. Projects like Edinburgh’s Hogmanay present
an even greater challenge. As well as being
With a solid portfolio of work from his School creative, time management is crucial. Grant
“ of Scotland, receiving a Dean of Drama Award around the arena to the lighting and fireworks,
explains about the ‘time code’ syncing clock
days under his belt, Grant went on to graduate
which controls everything from the giant screens
in Lighting Design from the Royal Conservatoire
all to the nano-second. “In theatre there is a bit
for Best Individual Work. Part of his course
of nerves, but it will always happen again. With
included a placement at Dundee Rep Theatre,
“The School had
Hogmanay you can’t pause the international
and after his studies he was asked back to
clock to say we need more time, let’s do another
a fantastic Drama
department; Mrs design productions regularly. take!” laughs Grant.
As well as theatre design, he now runs his
“For theatre productions during a technical
Arya and Miss own company designing extensively for the week it’s 9am to 10pm in a dark theatre.
Scottish events industry. “The best thing about
Henderson* took us my work is the diversity, one day I could be Non-production weeks involve meetings and
planning for upcoming projects, which currently
lighting a grand theatre, the following week include a new musical called Sunshine Ghost
to see a lot of shows be out in a field with lasers and light beams. which will start touring out of town in Autumn
I also love the business side of it, working for 2017. Christmas takes me to A Christmas Carol
and I remember myself, as well as being creative I have to at Dundee Rep and Chick Whittington at the
trips to The Theatre run a limited company. I studied business Macrobert Arts Centre Stirling and in 2018 I’ll be
management at school in 3rd and 4th year working on a new version of Spring Awakening
Royal Glasgow and and again in 6th at higher. I know I said that will tour parts of Scotland.”
I’m not great at maths but it turns out when
seeing shows like money is involved I manage just fine.” So does Grant have any advice for any aspiring
The History Boys - theatre practitioners? “Go and see theatre. See
“People often don’t realise that what I do is as much as you possibly can. There is great work
a national touring even a job and think that a technician puts being done on your doorstep in Edinburgh and
lights on, and sometimes it can be like that. across Scotland. See the work.”
piece of theatre.” But lighting design goes through a process
just like the set and costumes would on a “If someone is interested in a niche area then
production. I work with a creative team contact people. Everyone has a website now,
of directors and designers… it’s a true people can be found on Google. It is easy to
collaborative effort” reach people in the digital world we live in. Get in
contact with the right people, make connections
Many of the projects he works on start a year and ask for direct advice - that really applies to
in advance. “On any project, text or event we whatever you want to do in life!”
Grant’s lighting design from the recent start with the stimulus and develop a concept.
production of the musical Chess which We work out how to communicate the concept * This interview took place before the tragic death of Kelda
drew strong praise from theatre critics. to our audience within the parameters set. Henderson in July 2017. Grant would like to add how
Image by Tommy Ga-Ken Wan
saddened he and the rest of the close-knit Drama FPs are by
So for Botanic Lights for example, we look at her passing.