My name is Chris Runciman. I ran a lightshow in Exeter in Devon
UK in the middle 60's:
'Brave Goliath's Lightmare'
Shows at Exeter Uni.. Tech College and Art College and various
clubs and 'happenings' , Ballet Rombert at Northcotte Theatre.etc.
I was 'headhunted' by the members of Principal
Edwards Magic Theatre to join the group. Gave up my
day job to go full time with them. The first long tour was
as support to the Pink
Floyd on their Piper at the Gates of
Dawn Tour, sounds very grand now but most of the gigs were
clubs and Floyd were in a Ford Transit !! We shared projectors
but not secrets.............I later met up with Claire Seargent
(Pale Green Limousine Lightshow)
at The
Temple in Wardour Street London. As we arrived about
4am to do a late show she offered me the use of her projectors
to save on set up time.
We used Meccano parts and gears for the colour wheels.
Food dies and inks
sometimes with a dash of acetone to liven thing up were the
order of the
day. Technicolour faces went with the job as slides used to
explode now and
then.
Unfortunately she had removed the heat
filters as her show was predominantly liquids but mine was
a mix of slides and fluids......you can imagine my face as
some of my prized images melted quite spectacularly during
the show! Claire and I then became an item for a while. My
first real true love and I met her over a projector..............
35+ years on and I am still in the show production business
but thats for a later mailing.
By the way my first projector was an Optimus 3.5" with wooden slide carriers
and lots of brasswork that I converted from acetylene to electric using
parts from a Strand Patt.23. The larger format was great to work in and I
ended up with 3 and still have them somewhere.