MAKING IT RAIN INNOVATION MAKING IT RAIN

Water Sculptures flood and suction system | Singin’ in the Rain 2020

Transfer pump

Filter pump

UV steriliser Plus 20mm all around the liner perimeter to allow for stage discrepancies 9.0KW water heater Transfer pump

Rain pump

Wall

Water Sculptures Control position 2 x Astral Victoria pump pool liner for flood and suction Suction direction Flood direction

Flood and suction use the same pipes for flow Elephant foot and return flood and suction device

Plan view of the onstage flood and suction system, integrated water storage system and heated rain container, looking from the front of the stage. The system is located in the wings, approximately 15 metres away from the performance area. © Water Sculptures Ltd When theatre designer Simon burst its banks and flooded the non-slip enough for the rain for the lead character, Don The closing number of Singin’ in the Rain. All the dancers, apart from the front two, are dancing on flooded boards within a ‘pool’ area. The falling rain and Higlett was asked to create theatre, causing performances downpours. Lockwood’s, joyful rain dance, flooded tank below the stage allow the cast to splash in two-centimetre-deep puddles © Jonathan Church Productions the set for Chichester Theatre’s to be cancelled. The Times The solutions for making immortalised by Gene Kelly in 2011 production of Singin’ in reviewed it with the headline this work for a worldwide tour the MGM movie. One problem the Rain he was enthusiastic but ‘Up River without a Paddle’. would rely on a combination of was all of the changes of scene A hugely successful stage production of Singin’ in the Rain is due wary: inundating a stage with Simon’s main concern was technology, timing and garden in the original movie. Simon to relaunch at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in 2021, before going on a water can cause problems, from how to deal with the presence furniture. decided to recreate the back lot ensuring equipment stays dry of water on stage. A reservoir of a 1920s Hollywood studio – a worldwide tour. The show’s highlights are two dance sequences in and avoiding technical problems system for the big rain numbers filming area for external scenes the rain, which posed logistical problems for its designers. Dominic to making sure performers are would have to be in place TURNING IDEAS – which would be the setting comfortable and actually getting throughout the show, unlike INTO REALITY for the entire performance, so Joyeux talked to theatre designer Simon Higlett and William Elliot, the water on stage. Technical some previous productions Another of Simon’s concerns that no extra scenery had to be Technical Director at Water Sculptures, about the challenges of issues had previously meant that had moved in huge tanks was creating a believable period brought in from the wings. For that a river built at the National at the key moments. It would setting. Of course, it would be the famous dance, the character flooding the stage. Theatre’s Lyttelton stage for Alan also require a floor solid enough essential for the production would be seen to switch on a Aykbourn’s play Way Upstream for tap dance numbers and to have a spectacular arena giant rain-effect system within

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Water Sculptures has produced rain for musicians Rihanna and Take That, actors James McAvoy and Sir Ian McKellen, and many others over the years

water sucked through three-millimetre gap

which then developed into a – a greater water volume than 45-centimetre-square plate with previously. The ‘elephant’s foot’ has a greater surface area than that of the pipe connected to it. The shallow inlet allows the water to be sucked out to an a five-centimetre outlet on it The pool area is lined with a one-millimetre-thick PVC-coated fabric, lacquered with high mechanical strength. Then extremely low level without the cavitation effect and without the intervention that sits at the bottom of the the studio rather than perform a three-millimetre-thick Correx floor protection is laid on top. This is fluted and helps drain the water as it is removed. of a traditional submersible pump © Water Sculptures Ltd pool at the front of the stage. RAIN HEADS AND Finally, a stainless steel frame that supports the decking is placed on top © Water Sculptures Ltd out in a street. of water is required to supply scene before launching into This was dubbed the ‘elephant’s WATER SAFETY Simon knew that he wanted downwards, he noticed that the events such as Olympic and the touring element meant the rain heads for each rain and four minutes of a dancing and foot’: essentially a box with a Water Sculptures has produced deep puddles for the dance water came up over the slats. Commonwealth Games displays, that the system needed to fit dance sequence. splashing tour de force. shallow inlet. rain for musicians Rihanna and number. He wanted to recreate This gave him the idea of the business inaugurations, and the stages and set up times of William thought that the flat The elephant’s foot allows Take That, actors James McAvoy the playfulness of Gene Kelly’s water coming up from below theatrical performances. every venue on the world tour, stage would mean that gravity the water to be drained out and Sir Ian McKellen, and many film performance when the star rather than from above. so phone calls determined the would neither deliver the water ELEPHANT’S FOOT of the pool to a very low level others over the years. William’s not only splashes but jumps Then, at a friend’s barbeque, space and expertise available at fast enough to fill the pool nor The major issue in William’s without losing the prime of the father and company founder, into puddles of water. However, he noticed some composite CHALLENGING each theatre. empty it in time. So, his team second challenge was how pump. The reservoir empties Byll Elliot, discovered that a it would not be possible to decking boards with narrow- WATER EFFECTS The second challenge was to devised a flood-and-suction to remove the water from much more quickly and with less nozzle tip used for washing the project enough water down spaced grooves. The hosts told Simon had made things easier solve the problem of how to get system with 1½ kilowatt pumps the stage quickly and quietly chance of it noisily cavitating. interiors of heavy-duty industrial from rain bars in the short period him that these were made of for Technical Director William massive amounts of water onto that delivers the water at a fast before it overfilled. Because During the Lockwood dance process tanks, which came of time needed to create these recycled hardwood fibres with Elliot by positioning the and then off the stage area while and controlled rate through a the pool area was shallow, it prevents the reservoir from with a variety of apertures and puddles for a five-minute dance a recycled polythene bonding eponymous dance sequence creating a believable rainstorm. pair of five-centimetre delivery cavitation would occur when overflowing; then when the pressures, could be adapted to sequence onstage; there simply agent that had great anti-slip just before the interval. This The decking board area and suction hoses situated drained with a pump and rain stops and it is time for make realistic rain in different would not be enough time. properties, especially when wet. allows the technical team to deal that has the pool reservoir either side of the stage. From make loud gurgling noises – the interval, the water level is theatrical and commercial The whole stage area needed The grey colour of the hard- with the excess water while the underneath measures 7.9 metres the show’s beginning, there is a when cavitation takes place, drained more slowly to the pre- settings – from a mist or light to flood, with a supplemental pliant boards also fitted in with curtains are drawn. To get extra across, 7.3 metres long and has preset level of five centimetres air bubbles are created at low fill level of five centimetres in rain to a heavy downpour or supply of water to create the the black and white décor he value out of the rain-making a 15-centimetre aluminium of water sitting within the pressure and as a liquid passes preparation for the reprise at the even a deluge. illusion of puddling. had chosen for his silent movie budget, the director and Simon wall rim all around to hold in reservoir area below the from suction side to release side, end of the show. The company still uses the The ‘eureka’ creative film set. Now, all he needed to had added a closing dance the water. Of the 10,000 litres decking, then a combination the bubbles implode and create Water Sculptures has fine- same techniques and employed moments for this project came in do was find someone who could number whereby all the dancers stored, the pool area needs the of pumps and rain from above a shockwave. tuned this innovation and heavy droplet nozzles for this gardens. The first was in Simon’s turn his vision into reality. He dress as Lockwood and perform amount of water equivalent to floods the stage in one minute. The Water Sculptures team for performances of Madam production. These are hung own garden: he was toying turned to Morecambe-based a final dance that also uses the roughly 13 bathtubs to overfill While the engineering springs could see that this would be a Butterfly at the Royal Albert from the theatre barrels, retain with a slatted garden table lying Water Sculptures Ltd, which rain effects. it and provide two centimetres to life beneath his feet, the problem: it would be both noisy Hall, which required a shallow the pressure until the valves upside down on a waterlogged creates both indoor and outdoor William saw three main of puddle depth above the Lockwood character gently and inefficient. The team came water system, the team drained are open and, when released, lawn and when he pushed it spectacular water effects for challenges. The first was that decking. A further six bathtubs strolls the stage, setting the up with a low suction device, 55,000 litres in just 12 minutes produce the rain effect with

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every second week. All interior and the one that will be at wet surfaces are cleaned with Sadler’s Wells, as the team is still an antibacterial solution when solving problems as they arise. drained. Simon is aiming to reduce the current number of 15 lorries needed to transport the show ON THE ROAD for sustainability purposes. The Chichester Theatre’s One possibility is to reduce production of Singin’ in the the amount of water used Rain turned out to be its most by making the reservoir even financially successful musical shallower. Tests will be done ever. The production transferred to see if it can be reduced to to the West End for two and around 10 centimetres, which a half years and then toured could halve the amount of water Russia, Australia, Japan, South needed. Africa and Brazil. The rebooted Whatever tweaks are made, version has been booked the essential joie de vivre that into Sadler’s Wells Theatre for thrilled original audiences will performances in 2021 and is due surely remain. Indeed, although to tour Japan and Russia again in warned they could get wet, the future. many theatregoers expressly ask There will be differences for front row seats so that they The character of Don Lockwood in the water that has been engineered to between the production that can get soaked and feel part of flood the stage © Jonathan Church Productions has been touring the world the onstage action. each nozzle delivering about bacterial growth, so four nine- BIOGRAPHIES 33 litres per minute at 2.5 bar: a kilowatt heaters warm the water Simon Higlett is a theatre designer. He has created the 120% increase in water volume to 28°C for performer comfort. on a standard domestic tap, at The water is stored in two large onstage designs for a number of stage shows and operas a similar water pressure. There tanks and a mini-filtration plant across the world. Simon has also received the Manchester are 24 nozzles on set that deliver acts like a portable swimming Theatre Award for Best Design, two TMA Best Design Awards at least 1,000 litres per minute pool plant. The water is treated and the Helen Hayes Best Design Award. during the rain sequences. with bromine tablets to kill William Elliot is Technical Director at Water Sculptures. He William’s third challenge was any bacteria and a 110-watt has worked at the company since 1984 and has travelled how to safely store and heat ultraviolet steriliser has been the world creating water spectacles for high-profile clients the water used. Actor health is installed. The whole system including the Royal Jordanian Family, 2012 London Olympics, paramount, and warm, sitting aims to maintain a pH level of Radio City New York, and Broadway West End Theatres. water is a known hazard for 7.4, with the water changed

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