The Talented Mr Ripley

From playwriting icon Joanna Murray-Smith comes this ravishing adaptation of the twentieth century’s most glamorous thriller. Following the triumphant successes of Switzerland and Julia, Murray-Smith reunites with director Sarah Goodes to masterfully transform this seductive page-turner into an electrifying, world-premiere stage experience.  

The director, Sarah Goodes, and Lighting Designer Damien Cooper have done many shows together, and a strong shorthand has developed. They conceived a fast-moving Wes Anderson-style guide for the lighting, scenery and action.

“My contribution included having lights with a strong kinetic bent,” elaborated Damien. “Thus, the Martin MAC Viper XIPs on 6.5m vertical pipes. These droppers allowed me to achieve many positions with less equipment. Low side, high side, top light, doorway backlights, shadows, and blinders. It also allowed me to create a sense of pressure on Tom Ripley, call it finger-pointing or a heavy sandwich press.”

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With over 40 scenes that required unique lighting, the eight MAC Viper XIP moved from +1000mm up to 7750mm.

“The MAC Vipers were the starting point of the design,” Damien said. “As there were only eight active lights on the droppers, I knew I needed lumens, silent fans, shutters and wide beam angles. MAC Vipers nailed all these requirements. Super bright, able to be right next to a cast member with no fan noise, even with the fixture at 100%."

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There were other fixtures in the rig, eight MAC Encore Wash WRM and two MAC Encore Performance CLD.

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“The Wash WRMs are a great workhorse, good for making humans look human,” said Damien. “The MAC Viper XIPs, on that note, also have a CRI filter that was very useful for taking the edge off the cold white light. Although I did grow up with discharge fixtures, so it feels kind of normal. There were also 21 GLP X4 bar 10. I do love these GLP X4 bars; I’m very guilty of overusing them. For this production, we used them to conceal the flying rigging, for water effects during the boat scene, and to create the standard corridors that they do so well.”

Equipment was supplied by Tony Davies at Chameleon Touring Systems. STC Head LX Amy Robertson and Andrew Tompkins, Jesse Greig was production electrician, Ethan Hamill was programmer, and Oscar de Gruchy was lighting operator.
 

“A really amazing team to make this production,” remarked Damien. “Very proud of all of them and their excellent work.”

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The show is moving down to Melbourne in October, playing at The Playhouse at ACM. The Sydney season was on an automated fly system; Melbourne is a hemp house with excellent fly people, according to Damien, who has just been there with Bangarra’s Illume.
 

“We have designed all the flying to work with three fly ops,” he explained. “There’s a lot to juggle with eight lights on droppers, four speakers on droppers, let alone the standard scenery, boats and people that are flown. Ethan Hamill will be the Associate LD/Programmer on that transfer. I turn up during the plot day after we open Sydney Dance Company at the RPT.”
 

Photos: Prudence Upton