Dee Isaacs had secured the funding and completed the massive amount of preperation work on her next project The Quicken Tree and now approached me again as a Live Theatre / Sound Projection consultant really. This was a big project, not only in terms of the size of the cast, made up of local school children and professional actors but also in the amount of area that we had to physically cover during the show as this would be a ‘follow the actors’ Promenade Performance with a musical twist.
Each scene was set in a different location throughout the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh. Radio mics to the rescue, well yes but not without interference brought on my the radio controlled sprinkler systems… A fantastic lesson to learn! In the end we went for multiple ‘sound pods’ for each scene, with their own mixer, playback and small audio effects rig. This approach also allowed us to record the mixer output, allowing the video team to use this audio feed for their side of production.
A wonderful uplifting project. A challenge, cold, wet and very much worth it.
Below was taken from Dee’s website here, but do please read on…
The Quicken Tree
Follow our night on a magical adventure through the Garden. Will he succumb to the dark forces of the Enchantress Error, or can the Fairy Queen save him from himself?
The Quicken Tree was inspired by the second book of Edmund Spenser’s epic romance The Fairie Queen, first published in 1590, and written by Katherine Craik. The performance promenade took place in March 2011 at the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh.
This is the 5th in a series of highly successful shows that have been staged in the Garden and conceived by composer Dee Isaacs. Primary school children form the City of Edinburgh have worked with a team of University music students.
“Each group rehearsed their part separately coming together for intensive rehearsals as part of a team of 100 people who have created this performance. The performance is a real collaboration and sharing of vision and ideas but is is the children and students who have carried forward that vision with enthusiasm and great energy.” – Dee Isaacs
The Quicken Tree!
The Quicken Tree!
Lost are the woods,
Lost are the trees,
Lost are the flowers,
and pleasing melodies.
In one day, all things will pass –
Of mortal life the leaf, the
bud, the flower.
In one day, all things must pass.
But let us go, while weather
serves, and wind.
