The Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre (Gdański Teatr Szekspirowski) is a Shakespearean theatre in the middle of the thriving industrial port city of Gdansk in Poland. Designed by Italian architect Renato Rizzi, it opened in 2014 and is built on the site of a 17th-century theatre, known as the Fencing School, where English travelling players once performed English Renaissance Theatre works.
In 2022, the Theatre purchased 11 Robe T1 Profiles which have become an essential lighting element for all their predictions explained head of technical, Jòzef Leoniuk, and these fixtures have helped enrich the experience of lighting shows at the busy venue.
A major reason T1 Profiles were selected – after a competitive shoot out with other products – was for their silent running plus features like the excellent CRI, the range of CT whites and the refined dimming curve, as well as the excellent support they receive from Robe’s Polish distributor Prolight in Warsaw, and their local agent, Grupo Profit in Gdansk.
The Theatre also needed a fixture with accurate framing shutters, as the precise and effective lighting, highlighting and illumination of protagonists is vital to all Shakespearean storytelling.
The main stage is 14 metres wide and 11 deep, with nine metres trim height stage-to-ceiling. There are three technical bridges above the stage, and three above the audience, plus a range of mortised LX pipes, and the T1 Profiles change positions around according to the riders of shows.
“They have been a great asset,” commented Leoniuk, who was formally in the lighting department and now heads a tech team of six, adding that “everyone” is happy to work with the T1 Profiles.
Wider features – colours, gobos, animation wheels and the seven – 49 degree zoom, etc. – are also useful for the other events staged in the 600 seated / 1000 standing capacity venue. They also host techno parties and jazz concerts, and stage a Shakespeare Festival every summer in July.
It’s a lively and dynamic space and “we appreciate this very flexible lighting,” noted Leoniuk adding that “the T1s make the lighting process much quicker and smoother, they are very easy and nice to work with”.
Three brands were initially considered before selecting Robe which they had first seen in action courtesy of an incoming production of The Tempest from Italy directed by Alessandro Serra in collaboration with lighting designer Stefano Bardelli.
“That company brought their own T1s with them, we were super-impressed and just wanted some of our own after that!” he elucidated.
Furthermore, they are very compatible with their existing tungsten sources with the CT white range of between 2700 and 8000K. “Robe has really addressed the needs of the theatre market with the T-Series,” he said, “and Robe’s ranges of lights are also all very good and cover multiple applications,” he concluded.
Leoniuk observed more generally that Robe is: “well known, established and respected in Poland,” and he first learned of the brand much earlier on in his career whilst working as the lighting tech and operator at KLUB ŻAK a vibrant and popular arts and culture hotspot in the city centre known as a cinema, theatre, bar and cool space hosting a lively mix of performance, music and events.
