Theatre & Events Lighting Design

In addition to lighting for gardens, Neil is an experienced lighting designer for theatre and other live events. This work underpins the unique creative flair that is evident in all his garden design. It continues to flourish, with numerous events, concerts and conferences booking Neil’s services.

For a number of years Neil has provided lighting design and operation to a host of events for the Salisbury International Arts Festival, including the popular Family Fireworks Fiesta, which sees thousands of people enjoying a night of live music set against the backdrop of Salisbury Cathedral’s beautiful West Front. Other Salisbury Festival credits include numerous concerts within the Cathedral, ‘Art Zoydd’ - an open air movie and music experience, Guatemala’s leading Contemporary Dance troupe and an outdoor concert with violinist Nigel Kennedy.

Lighting design in the conference and corporate sector is also a busy area of Neil’s work, with clients including: Society of Cardio Thorasic Surgeons (ExCel Centre, London), Vascular Society (Metropole, Brighton), and the Association of Insurance and Risk managers (MICC, Manchester) being just a few of the many companies and associations for whom Neil has provided lighting designs.

Neil has many notable theatre credits. Some of these were attained while working as Acting Chief Electrician at Salisbury Playhouse, but also as Neil has continued to work in this genre since. Credits include: ‘The Good Person of Szechuan’ (Salisbury Playhouse), ‘A Bridge To The Stars’ (Salisbury Playhouse) and ‘The Musicians’ (Winchester Theatre Royal). Neil also provided touring lighting design for Salisbury Playhouse’s production of ‘Northanger Abbey’ which saw him move the show to numerous theatres across the UK. Neil lit ‘Il Mondo Della Luna’ for the Royal Opera of Sweden when they toured their show away from the stunning Drottningholm Slottsteatre in the grounds of the Palace in Stockholm to the beautiful ‘Green Theatre’ at West Green House in Hampshire.

Other lighting design credits include many events within the Bournemouth International Centre such as the ‘Natural History Museum Dinosaur Encounter’, ‘Bournemouth’s Got Talent’ youth talent contest, and creative lighting designs for the annual temporary Christmas Ice Rink.

Beyond this, Neil has provided outdoor projections for Bacardi/Martini, lighting design for Poole Music Festival, lighting for Dinner functions within the Great Hall of Hampton Court Palace and illuminations for an Artisan garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

A keen willingness to support lighting designers and theatre technicians of the future motivates Neil to support various schools by providing both advice, lighting design, installation and operation for many events. Neil has recently lit ‘Hairspray’, ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Billy Elliot’ at Devizes School in Wiltshire. He also has worked for many years with leading Hampshire drama teacher, Mike O’Brien and together they have overseen numerous shows, most including ‘Beauty & The Beast’, ‘Annie’, Hello Dolly’ and ‘The King and I’ at Thornden School in Southampton. Previously Neil lit other shows including ‘Smike’, ‘Oliver’ and ‘Blood Brothers’ with Mike.

Television lighting designs have included ‘The Brit Awards Launch 2001’ (Covent Garden), ‘International Rugby Hall of Fame’ (Hilton Park Lane) and ‘Noye’s Fludde’ (Salisbury Cathedral for BBC2).

It is this breadth of experience that provides Neil with the skills required to light your next event, whatever or wherever it may be!