QUEBEC — Ex Machina’s name reflects the philosophy of its founder and artistic director, Robert Lepage: that technology can enhance artistry, and the multidisciplinary company has been relying on technology from Lectrosonics for a variety of artistic performances.
Ex Machina is now using Lectrosonics wireless systems for two theatrical presentations: The Blue Dragon and Eonnagata, with the Lectrosonics gear specified by Jean-Sébastien Côté, the company’s sound designer and musician.
Côté has been involved with the company since 1999 handling duties that range from organizing a show’s audio logistics to composing and recording music for their performances. He is assisted by Donato Wharton, sound operator.
The Blue Dragon is set in China and tells the story of Pierre, an art dealer in Shanghai, visited by an old friend from Montreal. Eonnagata is a dance / theatre project based on Chevalier d’Éon, a French diplomat, spy, soldier, and Freemason who lived the first half of his life as a man and the second half as a woman.
For both shows, Côté specified Lectrosonics’ Venue Series wideband receivers using VRS receiver modules—four channels for The Blue Dragon and five channels for Eonnagata.
For The Blue Dragon, the four actors are outfitted with Lectrosonics LMa Digital Hybrid Wireless UHF beltpack transmitters plus one unit for backup, while on Eonnagata, the cast is using three SMa Super Miniature UHF beltpack transmitters, one for each actor / dancer, and two LMas, one as a backup and one to transmit trigger pulses from a table that is used as a drum. All equipment employs Lectrosonics’ Digital Hybrid Wireless technology.
“The Lectrosonics sound quality is very high and we haven’t had any transmission issues, which is always a big ‘thumbs up,’” Côté said. “I also like the ability to tweak the Venue receivers. Similarly, the system’s ability to scan frequencies without any computer connected to it is a great feature.”
Côté is particularly enthusiastic about the SMa transmitters for both their value and their small form factor. “For Eonnagata, we needed very small transmitters for the dancers. Considering my positive Lectrosonics experience with The Blue Dragon, there was really no incentive to look elsewhere.”
For more information, please visit www.lectrosonics.com.
