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
