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Update – 18 February 2025
Opera North’s dazzling staging of Kurt Weill’s 1940’s Broadway song-and-dance hit, Love Life, featured a sound package from Autograph and a complex sound design from one of our in-house team of masterful sound designers, Luke Swaffield.
Staged at Leeds Grand Theatre in January, the vibrant performance (partly funded by, and recorded for release in collaboration with, The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music) is to be broadcast at 18.00 on Saturday 22 February as part of BBC Radio 3’s Opera on 3 series.
Photo: James Glossop
From a sound design viewpoint this was a busy, challenging show, with a large cast and multiple characters – and Opera North’s own orchestra, on the stage itself, in full view of the audience. It took 36 radio mics, 15 float mics and 55 orchestra mics to pick up all the action.
Alongside the sound design for the show itself, further flexibility was needed from Luke to accommodate the broadcast operation. To enable this, he provided full splits of all 128 inputs to the BBC OB truck. “That’s something we’re always ready and able to do if needed,” he says.
“Brilliantly reconstructed . . . possibly only Opera North could even attempt it today,” said The Arts Desk’s review. It also included a clear nod to the quality of the sound, stating: “. . . (if the sound captured for the recording is as splendid as what was heard in the auditorium last night, credit is well deserved by all the musicians and the technical team as well).”
Read more HERE.
Update – 18 December 2024
Autograph’s talented band of Sound Designers has had a productive time of late, between them completing no fewer than five hugely successful theatre sound designs in recent weeks . . .
First up, Luke Swaffield brought his design experience to the creative team behind The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at the Ambassadors Theatre, in London’s West End.
Photo: Juan Coolio
Described by Whatsonstage as “The best British musical in decades” this adaptation from Jethro Compton and Darren Clark takes F. Scott Fitzgerald’s moving tale of a life lived in reverse, transposing the action from Baltimore to a fishing village on the north coast of Cornwall. Find out more HERE.
Next, over the pond in NYC, award-winning designer Nick Lidster applied his magic touch to Tammy Faye at the Palace Theatre, Broadway.
With music from the legendary Elton John, this sadly ill-fated Broadway version made its debut at London’s Almeida Theatre in 2022, where, in direct comparison to Broadway, it enjoyed a sold-out run and collected two Olivier Awards in the process. Success is never guaranteed in the world of theatre! Find out more HERE.
A short time later came the opening of Ballet Shoes at the National’s Olivier Theatre, with sound design by Autograph’s Ian Dickinson.
Based on the original, classic children’s novel by Noel Streatfeild, first published in 1936, it tells the story of three adopted sisters trying to pursue their dreams. Hot on the back of this success Ian next moves to the much-anticipated production of Unicorn at the Garrick Theatre. Find out more HERE.
Autograph’s next big sound design success saw our chairman, the vastly experienced sound designer Terry Jardine, coming “out of retirement” to deliver (alongside a member of our newer generation of sound designers, the brilliant Niamh Gaffney) the sound creation for a comedy classic.
The revival of The Producers by Mel Brooks, staged at the Menier Chocolate Factory, has Tony Award-winning director Patrick Marber at the helm. Find out more HERE.
Then came yet another credit for Nick Lidster, this time alongside another of our sound designers, Gareth Tucker, for a musical production at The Donmar Warehouse in London’s West End.
Natasha, Pierre, And The Great Comet of 1812 is a dazzling ‘electropop’ musical created by composer Dave Malloy, inspired by a scandalous portion of Count Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel War and Peace. When it first appeared on Broadway it was nominated for no fewer than 12 Tony Awards. Find out more HERE.
It’s been a busy and rewarding few weeks for our extraordinary team, working alongside some of the most accomplished creative talents in the theatre world and ensuring audiences’ listening experiences meet the very highest expectations . . .
12 June 2024, London
Opening last night at Islington’s Almeida Theatre, Alma Mater is a new drama declared by both the Evening Standard and Time Out as among the best London theatre to see this June! Written by Kendall Feaver and directed by Polly Findlay, the production has sound designs for theatre by Autograph’s own Ian Dickinson and a full package of audio equipment from us too. Find out more HERE.
1 June 2024, London
Now open to the public at the South Bank, London, The Paddington Bear Experience is a new multi-room, interactive and immersive attraction – and it’s one the kids will love! With sound designs for theatre by Autograph’s own immersive sound design specialist, Luke Swaffield, this will transport you and yours into the world of this loveable bear from darkest Peru. Find out more HERE.
25 May 2024, London
The ongoing success story that is 2:22 – A Ghost Story opens for another London run tonight (its sixth!), at the Gielgud Theatre. Our own Ian Dickinson reprises his role as sound designer, having designed both the previous West End production and the touring version (which is out until the middle of next month) and of course Autograph have supplied the sound equipment too. Full details on this extremely popular supernatural thriller HERE.
30 April 2024, The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
The all-new touring production of evergreen family favourite Chitty Chitty Bang Bang opens this evening in Southampton. Directed by Thom Southerland with sound designs for theatre by our own Gareth Tucker and a complete audio infrastructure provided by Autograph Sound, the show is scheduled to visit 33 theatres the length and breadth of the UK until May 2025. Full details HERE.
21 April 2024, Broadway, New York
That man Lidster has been at it again, ably assisted by Associate Niamh Gaffney, as he designs the new Broadway production of Cabaret At The Kit Kat Club which has just opened at the August Wilson Theatre. Everything you need to know about this wonderful new production HERE.
11 April 2024, London
The world premiere of the Verity Bargate Award winning play Boys on the Verge of Tears opens tonight at the Soho Theatre in Dean Street. Directed by James Macdonald and with sound designs for theatre by our very own Ian Dickinson (plus equipment supply by Autograph), this new coming-of-age piece is getting cracking reviews – find out more HERE.
14 December 2023, Toronto, Canada
Niamh Gaffney reprises her sound design work on Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) as Mirvish Productions’ of this very funny reboot of the Jane Austen classic opens at Toronto’s CAA Theatre tonight – good luck everyone! Show website with full details HERE.
9 December 2023, Toronto, Canada
A new production of one of the truly great musicals opens tonight at The Princess Of Wales Theatre, Toronto as 42nd Street begins the first of two runs going through to late January. Sound design by our very own Gareth Tucker, full details of this wonderful show HERE.
2 December 2023, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
A very special night for our very own Niamh Gaffney as she opens her first season as a Sound Designer for the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Swan Theatre in Stratford. The Fair Maid Of The West opens tonight and continues until late January. Niamh says “It’s been an absolute pleasure working with the RSC, especially the sound team – also to work alongside Isobel and MJ again, who were the creative team on Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of).”
Full details of this lovely new show HERE. Our best wishes to Niamh and all the cast and crew!!
7 November 2023, The National Theatre, London
The National Theatre’s new musical production of Roald Dahl’s The Witches opens shortly in the Olivier Theatre. Directed by Lyndsey Turner, this exciting new show (for the young and not so young) features a shared sound design credit for our own Ian Dickinson with Alexander Caplen. Full details HERE.
1 September 2023, The Theatre Royal, Bath
Following its very successful and continuing West End production, the touring show of 2:22 – A Ghost Story opens in Bath, commencing a UK tour taking in 31 stops right through until June of 2024. Sound design by our own Ian Dickinson, full equipment package supplied by Autograph. Details of the show, dates and much else HERE.
24 July 2023, Chichester, West Sussex
The Chichester Festival Theatre’s new musical production of Rock Follies has just opened, with sound design by Ian Dickinson and a full equipment package supplied by Autograph – full details of this exciting new show HERE.
20 June 2023, London
Read all about Luke Swaffield’s design for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Southwark Playhouse HERE.
10 June 2023, London
The second of two Autograph-designed and supplied shows opens this week, The Pillowman at the Duke Of York’s Theatre, with sound design by Ian Dickinson. Full details of this new play HERE.
7 June 2023, London
An all-new production of one of the greatest showbiz musicals of all time, the wonderful 42nd Street, opens at Sadlers Wells today. Sound design by Ian Dickinson and Gareth Tucker, full audio package supplied by Autograph! Click HERE for full details.
16 February 2023, London
The new stage production of Willy Russell’s Shirley Valentine opens tomorrow at the Duke Of York’s Theatre – equipment supply by Autograph Sound and sound design by our very own Ian Dickinson! Click HERE for full details.
10 January 2023, London
Following his design for 2:22 – A Ghost Story in Los Angeles, Ian Dickinson has also sound-designed (and we’ve supplied a full audio package for) the London production which has just had its run extended to late April. It will move from the Criterion Theatre to the Lyric Theatre, reopening on January 21st. Full details of the production HERE.
12 December 2022, Salford
The National Theatre’s production of The Ocean At The End Of The Lane opens this evening at The Lowry, Salford, with sound design by our own Ian Dickinson. This is a touring show that will visit numerous venues around the UK until late September next year, for which we have also provided a full equipment package – details of all the tour stops and dates plus lots more HERE. You can also read L&SI’s cover feature on the show HERE.
25 November 2022, London
More of Nick Lidster’s work for the ENO, this time it’s for Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s operatic adaptation of one of the greatest family Christmas films of all time, the Frank Capra classic It’s A Wonderful Life. Click HERE for full details of this superb production!
3 November 2022, London:
Nick Lidster has been working on two projects for the English National Opera, the first of which is Gilbert & Sullivan’s wonderful The Yeomen Of The Guard. It opens tonight at the London Coliseum until December 2nd – full details HERE.
29 October 2022, Los Angeles, California:
2:22 – A Ghost Story opens today at the Ahmanson Theatre in North Grand Avenue, LA. Sound Design by Ian Dickinson – find out more about this supernatural thriller HERE.
4 October 2022, UK
Our Sound Design team have been busy, as usual, working on a variety of projects, including…
Gary Barlow – A Different Stage has been touring very successfully since mid-summer and runs through to late November – click HERE for more information. Sound design by Gareth Tucker.
A new production of perennial favourite The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe has just opened at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London, with sound design by Gareth Tucker and Ian Dickinson, playing until January ’23 – you can find the show website HERE
. . . and Ian Dickinson also designed Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream which runs until October 22nd at the brand new Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot on Merseyside – full details HERE
More show news soon!
