CV
Paul Nicholson is an architect and has been practising stage lighting, continuously since 1975. The majority of his work has been with amateur theatre companies including the Riverside Players in Eynesford, The Nightingale Theatre Company in Clapham, St Mary's Drama Group in Hampton, Teddington Theatre Club in Hampton Hill and the Richmond Shakespeare Society in Twickenham. He has also lit five shows at the Hampton Hill Playhouse including the premier of 'For ever in trust'. Paul has also lit the premier of 'I do Believe' at the Normansfield theatre in Teddington. Many of his shows have included the set design as well as the lighting design, installation and operation. External lighting events include six shows at Marble Hill House, Twickenham, two shows at The Minack open air Theatre in Cornwall, three shows at York Gardens, Twickenham and four shows at The Fountain Gardens, Twickenham. For the external shows the event installation has included power distribution, the lighting rig and the lighting design. For his most recent outdoor production his installation included a 30kVa generator, power distribution, two 6m access towers and a 50 lamp installation, all executed fully in accordance with the IEEE external temporary installation regulations.
Paul has lit six 'Construction Rocks' gigs, the annual Battle of the Construction Industry bands events at The Gymnasium, Pancras Road, the Camden Centre, Euston Road, NW 1 and The Vaults, Waterloo. He was also delighted to light the Yardbird's 50th Anniversary concert at Twickenham in March 2013.
Qualifications:
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RIBA Chartered architect: ARB registered
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PASMA card holder
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CSCS card holder
AwardsIn 2010 year Paul was awarded the Richmond Arts Council ‘Wild Swan’ award for lighting design. The citation read:
'A midsummer night's dream' at the Fountain Gardens, Twickenham. Performed by the Richmond Shakespeare Society, 2010, for which Paul Nicholson received the Wild Swan award.
The Wild Swan (an award for a moment of particularly atmospheric and memorable theatre)
This year’s Wild Swan Award is made to Paul Nicholson.
The Wild Swan Award recognises particularly atmospheric and memorable theatre and is presented to Paul Nicholson for his lighting design for Richmond Shakespeare Society’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
This summer RSS relocated its open-air show within the grounds of York House to the Fountain Garden, home to Sir Ratan Tata’s statuary group of water nymphs, the “naked ladies” as they are known locally. This formed the backdrop for a stunning lighting design that was gasp-inducing, particularly at the opening of the second half when darkness had fallen: a real wow moment.
Trees, hedges and water features were all included in the overall concept, whilst (most importantly) the actors were not left out!
Paul Nicholson and his lighting brought the magic to the Dream.
