Richard Brett B.Sc. C.Eng. FIEE
special consultant
Professional backstage theatre work followed by an Honours Degree in Electrical Engineering from University College London. Completed a Graduate Apprenticeship in radio, television, electronic and mechanical engineering with the British Broadcasting Corporation and worked as a Senior Planning and Installation Engineer on the rigging and lighting installations in television studios. This background and experience led to his being asked to lead the technical consultancy team for the Royal National Theatre in London and he later carried out a similar technical role for the City of London on the Barbican Theatre, interpreting the Royal Shakespeare Company’s requirements into equipment provisions on a limited budget. Specified and co-ordinated the first significant computerised control system for theatre power flying and the special equipment used in the Drum Revolve stage for the Olivier Theatre. Developed the first theatrical use of air castor technology in the fully-adaptable Derngate Hall in Northampton in the UK. Managed and contributed to a range of other performing arts projects world-wide.
In 1985 he formed Technical Planning International to specialise in theatre technical installations. Contributed to the theatre planning and was responsible for the design and specification of the technical installations in the Olavshallen in Trondheim, which was followed by the Kulturhus in Harstad. Was invited to lead the stage engineering team on the design of the facilities for the Ballet Opera House in Toronto which was at detail design phase before the project was cancelled. Back in the UK, he developed equipment for a number of multipurpose halls, including a proscenium frame which stores within the floor of a concert hall and specialised aluminium structures to create overstage suspensions in temporary locations. Pioneered the use of tensioned-wire grids and further developed the use of low pressure air castors. Developed special rigging equipment for the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester for the Hallé Orchestra and contributed to the technical installations for Symphony Hall in Birmingham, England.
Won the commission from the Government of Hong Kong for the design and specification of stage engineering and stage lighting systems in the Kwai Tsing Theatre. He was awarded similar responsibilities for the complete stage engineering installations in the reconstruction of the Gran Teatre Del Liceu in Barcelona after the devastating fire in 1994. These installations were extensive and involved major rack and pinion elevators travelling down to a full scenic basement some 18 metres below stage. Following this, he was invited to join the in-house theatre consultancy team on the redevelopment of the Royal Opera House in London. Collaborated with this team and contributed to the design and technical specifications of a number of significant installations, including the powered flying, stage wagons, and stage control system. Having worked on projects in Greece, he was retained as the stage engineering and lighting consultant on the Conference and Opera Theatre, Small Theatre and Banquet Hall installations forming the extension to the Music Megaron in Athens.
After interviews of a number of international theatre consultant teams, his engineering background, experience and direct approach won him the theatre planning and engineering consultancy commission on the Opera Project in Copenhagen, which is his current major project. He has been Chairman of the Association of British Theatre Technicians, is a Past Chairman of the Society of Theatre Consultants and has represented the UK on both the Executive and Technical Committees of the Organisation of Scenographers, Technicians and Theatre Architects. Has also given papers on theatre equipment and installations to the US Institute of Theatre Technicians, the ABTT, the Institute of Electrical Engineers and in Asia and Holland.
