A Sense of Theatre at LDI 2025 Writer and lighting designer Rob Halliday and architect Fred Pilbrow will be at the LDI Show in Las Vegas this Monday, December 8th, talking about Richard Pilbrow's monumental final book, A Sense of Theatre. Written over a ten year period from a life time of experience, and completed just before his passing in December 2023, A Sense of Theatre charts the creation of Britain's National Theatre company -- for which Richard was the first lighting designer -- and then the remarkable building created for them on the South Bank of London's River Thames. For this Richard and his company Theatre Projects were the theatre consultants, pushing the boundaries of entertainment technology to equip the building with cutting edge technology in pursuit of the creation of great theatre. This is just a starting point, though, with the book then charting the way the building has been used and has evolved over the almost five decades since it opened, including thoughts from an enormous range of theatrical luminaries who have been part of that journey. It then uses that to discuss the design of performance spaces more generally, something Richard devoted his life to mastering after being disappointed with the final form of the National's two main auditoria. At LDI, Rob and Fred, Richard's son, will use their respective professions as theatre practitioner and architect to examine how the debate between theatre designers and theatre users continues to play out today with reference to the similar debates played out at the National Theatre and documented in the book. The discussion, which will be moderated by theatre consultant Jules Lauve, should be a fascinating one. For those who want to read more, copies of the book will be available at the show, on the stand of Lighting & Sound America magazine. The A Sense of Theatre takes place at 1.30pm on Monday, December 8 as part of LDI; it is open to anyone with an LDI show pass. A Sense of Theatre at LDI: www.ldishow.com/event/contact/rob-halliday. 
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