Art has played a central role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s refurbishment of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, a unique project unlike any that TM Lighting has undertaken before. The theatre owner and impresario has installed many of his own works within the historic theatre, and it is the first time that art has been displayed with museum-grade lighting in a theatre space to this extent.
The works now on display and illuminated with our products include Pre-Raphaelite works by artists such as Edward Burne-Jones, modern scenes of London (including works by James Kerr-Lawson) and contemporary Shakespearian scenes by Maria Kreyn, which were commissioned by Lloyd Webber especially for the space.
We used our experience working within historic houses, galleries and museums to execute this project successfully. Most artworks were lit by the TM Classic Picture Light, each one individually focussed to its artwork. A challenge was presented by two works situated directly beneath friezes on the prominent Wyatt Staircases, necessitating our use of Gallery Spotlights suspended from a staircase above to mimic the effect of focussed picture lights for the works. A collection of five statues of famous playwrights were moved to the rotunda as part of the refurbishment works, which we highlighted with ZeroThirty accent lights to put these figures ‘centre stage’ in this lighting project.
We are thrilled that our project to illuminate Andrew Lloyd Webber’s art collection at Theatre Royal Drury Lane is featured in September’s Apollo Magazine. The online version of the article can be read here.
Lighting Design by BDP
Photography by Andrew Beasley
