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Radio Microphones in Theatre

During the late 1970’s and on into the 1980’s the use of more sophisticated technology in the staging of theatrical and other live performances developed at a pace not seen before.

A range of new tools in set construction, automated scenic control, greater sophistication in lighting and its control and the development, understanding and use of High Fidelity live sound along with radio mics of better quality and reliability, added hugely to artistic freedom and helped creative teams to present live performances that are different from but the equal of those being offered by TV and Cinema. Radio mics offer levels of creative freedom in live performance that were previously only open to the Cinema and TV.

These developments were therefore some of the elements that allowed the mega musical to blossom. Shows such as Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Lion King, Miss Saigon etc., on to Mama Mia and Witches today could not be staged without the use of these now important tools.

These shows first started to be internationally successful in the seventies with Jesus Christ Superstar and have built to the present day where musicals regularly occupy almost half of the mainstream theatres in both the West End of London and on Broadway.

In London the rise of the mega musical started at a time when the annual audience attendance figure for all types of theatre was estimated at 8 million. With the rise in popularity of the mega musical attendance figures rose to 10.2 million in 1986 on to 12 million by 2004 and currently stand at 14.1million.

Whilst the rise in popularity of this genre cannot be attributed solely to the radio mic, it along with other technological developments, has made major contributions toward releasing the creative freedom that we see today and which continues to create this world beating genre. This process is of course not restricted to Capital cities but has also taken place throughout the regions.

What is certain, is that without this technology theatre productions would not be where they are today.

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Thursday, 19 November 2009

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