News and Events
PRESS RELEASE: Smiles all round at the ABTT 2013 Theatre Show
23rd Jun 2013
The
weather in London wasn't exceptionally sunny for the ABTT 2013 Theatre
Show,�but the atmosphere inside The Old Truman Brewery on 12th and 13th
June was�enough to put a smile on everyone's face.
The exhibition space, which was reorganised for 2013 with the addition of an
extra�hall, two seminar rooms and an imposing registration hall off Brick
Lane in London's�East End, provided visitors with an adventurous route
around the exhibits and�meeting areas. Two new initiatives - the Market
Place and Village Green - were�widely applauded. In the Market Place
section of the Blue Hall, a collection of small�booths enabled a wide
range of theatrical suppliers and associations to present their�services
at an affordable cost. The �Village Green' as it became known during
the�event, became a central area for visitors to meet, have somewhere to
sit and enjoy a�coffee or just chat. Situated in the Green Hall, with
appropriately coloured carpet, the�village green was surrounded by
exhibitor stands, which included the ABTT's own, and�other leading
entertainment industry associations.
Show Director Roger Fox was particularly pleased with the response of
exhibitors, "A�common theme I keep hearing is that the visitors are
exactly the sort of people they�hoped to meet." One exhibitor made a
comment that a single conversation he'd just�had with a visitor to his
stand was worth the all the investment of being at the ABTT 2013 Theatre
Show.�A new exhibitor said that it was the best show he had exhibited at
in his twelve years'�experience of attending similar exhibitions.
The enlarged exhibition space was sold out with 10% more exhibitors compared
with 2012, including companies returning to the Theatre Show after an absence
of a few years, plus some new names from the UK and Europe. Visitor numbers
grew by about�4% over the previous year, which coincidentally
was�similar to last year -��the�first time�at the Old
Brewery - compared with 2011. Over 60% of�visitors were theatre
professionals, with the remainder fairly evenly spread across�venue
management, events, building design, film & TV, educational and
non-professional theatre sectors.
The show undoubtedly lived up to its initial promise to�maintain its
position as the�UK's�leading��theatre' exhibition.�In
addition to ABTT Show regulars in the stage engineering, rigging, sound
and�lighting categories, for 2013 the wide range of exhibitors included
scenery salvage,�British sign language for theatre technicians, props,
costumes and stage water�effects.
The number of products and services launched at the Theatre Show this year
was�memorable; almost a quarter of all exhibitors chose the ABTT as a
launchpad for new�products in the UK. In addition to catching up with the
latest products, visitors were�equally attracted to the show by the range
of seminars on offer. A full two-day free�programme, keeping both seminar
rooms busy, offered visitors the chance to take�part in twenty-four
diverse theatre-related presentations and debates. Most popular�were those
designed to update theatre practitioners with the latest details
of�regulations and standards. Central to this theme, and the most popular
seminar, was�the launch of the all-new edition of the completely updated Technical
Standards for�Places of Entertainment 2013, which has been developed
by a standing committee of representatives from the�Association of
British�Theatre Technicians, the Chartered Institute of�Environmental
Health, the District Surveyors Association, the�Institute
of�Licensing and other industry organisations.
The Theatre Show was also a vital contact point for those in training, or
intending to�begin a career in theatre. In addition to representatives of
the main industry�associations, experts from several leading colleges and
training institutions were on�hand throughout the show, and seminars on
training options and beginning a career�were popular.
Photo Credit: Laura Braun
