A WELLINGTON theatre production is the first to be powered completely off the grid.
Heat, written by Lynda Chanwai-Earle, tells the story of scientist lovers wintering over in Antarctica. Chanwai-Earle wanted to emulate conditions in Antarctica for her play, which was first performed as a Bats’ 2008 STAB commission.
“We wanted to power it like they do in the huts, with generators, solar and wind power,” she says.
Lighting and alternative energy designer Marcus McShane encouraged Chanwai-Earle to drop the generator, taking the production off the grid entirely.
“I felt it was such a beautiful play and there was hypocrisy in running it off a generator, which is tremendously inefficient and damaging, when in a holistic way the play celebrates Antarctica and its’ undiscovered, untouched places,” says McShane.
“I also liked the challenge of producing something with a lovely sound and feel on such a tight power budget. It’s often when you’re working within those kinds of restraints that you get the best results.”
Graeme Ebbett designed and installed the remote power system, which consists of a domestic windmill and solar panels.
“That energy installation is right outside the theatre, on top of the container the set is shipped round in. As well as that, the container’s modified for rail and freight so we can cut carbon emissions wherever we go,” says Chanwai-Earle.
A power storage system inside the container stores energy up over the day then transmits it inside to the show. Although full-day rehearsals have diminished power stocks, the installation currently has enough power stored to run the show for three days.
“It’s a good season for it; it’s windy as well as sunny, and the days are long. We’re getting twice the power we did in Auckland. We’ve been able to add bits and pieces to make [the production] a little more lush,” says McShane.
Concentrating on alternative energy sources has led to unforeseen advances, too.
“We created a wonderful prototype LED light designed to be low drain, to replace the halogen lights. Normally in big theatre shows you use up to 80 households worth of power every night. With the new LED nights we’re using less than one household’s worth,” says Chanwai-Earle.
Heat is just back from a National tour, playing the Herald Theatre in Auckland, Fuel Fest in Hamilton, the Otago Arts Festival and the Nelson Arts Festival.
“I’ve been thinking in terms of getting the idea overseas as well. The condition would be that if they wanted to pick it up they must power it off the grid within the theatre venue,” says Chanwai-Earle.