Robin Auld joins Theatreplan as Senior Consultant

With its recent success in securing significant new work in the Far East, Theatreplan has appointed Robin Auld as a Senior Consultant. His immediate role will be as Project Leader on the Black Box Theatre project, one of the first performing arts venues to be delivered in the West Kowloon Cultural District. Robin will be managing the project on the ground in Hong Kong and will also be driving the practice's growth strategy in the Asia/Pacific zone.

Robin graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney with a degree in theatre design, following which he worked in London for many years, as a design team member and Production Manager at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and in the West End. He developed a strong understanding of the stage requirements for designing complex productions for reparatory venues and was also involved in developing the initial concept modelling for the Royal Opera House refurbishment project in 1997-1999.

Returning to Australia Robin was a Scenery Workshop Director for the Australian Opera (now Opera Australia). He brought many new productions on to the stage at both the Sydney Opera House and the Melbourne Arts Centre. In 2000, he designed the steel structures for the large-scale mobile scenic modules at the 2000 Olympic Games closing ceremony.

In 2009, Robin was commissioned by the Royal Opera House Covent Garden to develop a technical-theatre training curriculum for the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing. He undertook an analysis of the organisational and technical delivery systems of the NCPA and proposed a more streamlined management structure combined with a matrix of suggested skills competences aligned to technical theatre roles. This training has been delivered annually since 2012, and as an on-going programme is now being offered to technical theatre staff from many venues in mainland China.

As a theatre consultant Robin has recently completed and opened The Backstage Centre, a state-of-the-art, arena-scale facility for the rehearsal and preparation of theatre and live music productions near London. Operated by Creative & Cultural Skills this facility is the first of its kind, offering real-world training on full-scale theatre, dance and music production rehearsals.

Robin was responsible for leading the architectural and theatre consultancy teams in the design, development and delivery of the building, and managed an extensive industry consultation process with the theatre and live music sectors, which explored options for building usage, financial modelling and equipment specifications. Following the opening of the building he worked as Operations Launch Director for six months to develop and implement operational procedures. Robin also wrote the application for government funding, successfully raising £15.5 million for construction of the building, as well as winning a number of equipment sponsorship contracts.

Robin is also currently working with the soon to be built Taipei Performing Arts Centre, to establish operational procedures for this large multi-venue facility, where he can utilize his extensive management skills and understanding of back-stage environments. He is also theatre consultant for Theatro Municipal’s new theatre development in Rio de Janeiro, working with architectural practice Studio MK27. This development will see a new workshop, training school and opera stage to allow full-scale rehearsals and training, ensuring the development of the next generation of theatre practitioners.

Robin has taught at the University of Sydney, Wollongong University, and is currently a visiting professional lecturer at Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

Theatreplan welcomes Michael Atkinson

Theatreplan is pleased to announce that lighting specialist Michael Atkinson, previously an Associate with the practice, has joined the team as a Partner. He comes to us after a 25-year career at the National Theatre, where he rose through the management team to become Head of Lighting Resources.

 

Michael has unique skills, being an experienced consultant and technician in a very specialist discipline in which most expertise resides in the manufacturers. His experience as a project manager and a client with the depth of knowledge of products in the luminaire, dimmer and control system fields that can challenge manufacturers’ and suppliers’ claims and can ensure that the specified products perform as required.

 

After training in theatre electrical engineering, Michael worked in the West End of London on the lighting of major shows such as The Sound of Music and then around the UK on tours of The Muppett Show. This particular show led to his being invited to New York to work on lighting control systems and some of the first animatronics for Jim Henson. Returning to the UK to work as a production electrician he was head-hunted by the National Theatre.

 

At the National, Michael undertook the design of new dimmer systems and control networks for the three main venues and other performance spaces and managed the complete rewiring and installation works. This was done while keeping each of the main theatres in use. He was also instrumental in reducing theatre power consumption significantly, extending lamp life by changing operational procedures and in cutting the external lighting load from 70 kW to 7 kW.

 

As an Associate for Theatreplan Michael designed the stage and working light control systems and dimmer engineering for the Copenhagen Opera, Sydney Opera House and has advised on other venues; he has also developed new control and distributed dimmer systems for two upgraded MTV studios and carried out the ground-up design of a further studio for the same client.

 

Prior to  joining us in a full-time capacity, as Head of Lighting Resources at the National Theatre, his work and focused on lighting facilities, controls, infrastructures, dimmers and luminaires, long term capital budgeting and running the  department responsible for the maintenance of all lighting equipment and installed lighting systems.

 

He is frequent contact with all the major suppliers and has organised dimmer and luminaire comparison demonstrations as part of his ongoing testing regime. He implements the Theatreplan policy of only specifying tried and tested industrial equipment that is fully supported by established suppliers in theatre systems.