AC-ET Supports Newcastle Theatre Royal with Broadweigh Blue Shackles

UK – Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust Limited is recognised as one of the finest regional theatres in the UK. Located in the heart of the city, the iconic venue has been enthralling audiences for over 185 years, bringing the very best in touring theatre to the North East region.

Broadweigh Blue

The Grade 1 listed building has a rich heritage, commitment to delivering exceptional theatrical experiences and holds a special place in the hearts of the North East community as a historic and cultural landmark. Recently the theatre chose to further upgrade its rigging system with some Broadweigh Blue shackles supplied by A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET).

Following their initial purchase last September, Theatre Royal were extremely pleased with the product’s performance and has subsequently decided to acquire additional units. The units have been really useful in the day-to-day running of the theatre as they allow the experienced in-house technical crew to continually monitor the rigging points and ensure that the appropriate weight levels are being adhered to at all times.

By selecting Broadweigh Blue shackles from AC-ET, the stage management and technical team can work in close collaboration with all visiting production companies to maintain the integrity and safety of the venue’s rigging infrastructure, mitigate the risks associated with overloading and preserve the longevity and structural stability of the iconic building.

About the Broadweigh Blue

The Broadweigh Blue is a 3.25t shackle with integrated Bluetooth Low Energy 4.0 that provides high precision, static weighing direct to the Broadweigh App. The app is available for iOS or Android and contains all the tools required to configure and display data from the shackles in range and requires no other accessories. Using the bow from a standard shackle, Broadweigh Blue can transmit up to 90m with calibrated units included in the transmitted values.

What the Theatre think

With a busy schedule of touring performances and productions passing though the venue, the new shackles have proved to be of significant benefit to the team, resulting in Newcastle Theatre Royal choosing to expand its inventory. Asked if the stage team were impressed with the new additions, Deputy Stage Manager, Lee Bowman replied:

We work in an extremely fast-paced industry with show load-ins and get-outs happening on a weekly basis. As we work alongside many different visiting stage crew companies, it is fundamental that we have robust systems in place that confidently ensure the safety of the cast, the crew and the audience whilst also safeguarding the architectural integrity of the building.? The Broadweigh Blue shackles have earned high praise from the teams due to their ease of use, reliability and accuracy of reporting

For more information about AC-ET and its rigging solutions, please visit our Rigging section.