Pleasance Beside Technical Specifications

Revision History
Revision No. Revision Date Author Revision

1 Feb 2019 Ruth Luckins Venue Lighting Updated

2 18 May 2019 Juan Carmona Venue Sound Update

3 30/04/22 Sam House Venue General Update

Dimensions and general information

● Pleasance Beside is located on the Courtyard site and is a temporary theatre building configured in a thrust style with black drapes
against the US wall and a black hardboard cover stage floor.
Seating configuration: Thrust
Seating capacity: 92
Approx setting depth: 2500mm
Approx setting width: 5000mm
Approx grid height: 2300mm
● The venue has no wing space and no backstage crossover. There is 1 x US entrance leading from dressing room / storage areas onto
the stage.
● Storage consists of 1x 10ft container with the dressing room sited next to this unit. The dressing rooms are made from portacabin
style prefabricated site office containers.
● All companies in the venue will have shared use of the backstage dressing room spaces and are able to access this space 40 mins
before and up to 20 mins after their performance each day. There are no shower facilities, laundry, green room or wardrobe facilities
● Each company will be assigned a get in/ rehearsal time slot prior to their first public performance negotiated by our production team
on submission of the productions technical information forms. This is the time for you to load your set and props into the space, and
for you to re-tech your show. It is important that you utilise the available time well ensuring that each technical element of your
show is covered and allowing sufficient time to plan and rehearse your daily turn around, set construction/ de construction and
storage.
● The Average turnaround time between shows in the Pleasance Beside is set to 15 mins. This includes; audience leaving the previous
show, the previous show removing their set, time for you to bring in your set and set up, and your audience in time.

Pleasance Beside: Access

● Pleasance Beside is on the ground floor however the audience enters the space from the back of the seating rake via a small
external enclosed staircase. Patrons with limited mobility enter the theatre via a side door.
● It is possible to gain vehicle access alongside Pleasance Beside however there is a height restriction of 3.6m. Larger vehicles
will need to be unloaded on the street and the production elements carried into the venue. (this is approximately 200m)
● All vehicle movements on and around site must be scheduled in advance, and no unauthorised vehicle movement will be
permitted.
● There is no parking available on any of the Pleasance Sites .

Pleasance Beside: Staging

● The stage is flat on the floor and covered with black hardboard.
● There is no traditional counterweight or hemp flying in this space therefore all flown elements will need to be discussed and designed
into the venues rigging in advance. You must ensure that you provide sufficient and suitable hardware/ flying equipment and will be
charged for any hardware that we provide during your get in.
● Pleasance Beside is presented as a black box space, with no wing on either side. A full complement of legs and borders will be
provided as part of the basic venue design as well as a full set of mid stage and up stage tabs.
● Screwing to into the venue floor or walls is not permitted.
● It is worth ensuring that your set is light yet durable enough to withstand daily movement and dismantling.
● All scenic elements and props must be constructed from inherently flame retardant materials or be suitable treated to meet fire
classification (UK Class 1) or (Euroclass B, S1, D0)
● The visiting production must make adequate arrangements for the removal or disposal of your set and any unused publicity materials
at the end of the festival. If the Pleasance has to dispose of any such material, a £500 disposal charge will be added to your
productions settlement.

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Pleasance Beside: Lighting
Lighting Control: ETC Nomad Puck or equivalent
Lighting Dimming: 12 ways of Digital dimming. Of these, 3 are available for company specials.
● The venue has a general cover providing good coverage of the stage (open white only), and an RGB LED backlight wash.
● We are able to provide additional equipment to supplement the basic rig. This can be discussed and negotiated with the Pleasance
Lighting team and you will be charged separately for the hire. Each hire will be charged for every week or part thereof that it is in
the venue, including rigging time where appropriate. Hire costs include rigging, labour and all cables/dimming etc as required. All
additional lighting hires must be agreed with the Pleasance in advance and a lighting plan of your intended design be provided. Please
see our price list for an indication of the price of frequently hired items. Please submit all requests for additional hires via the
Technical Information Form, following which a quote will be sent and must be confirmed by the company for the hire to be finalised.

● To comply with our electrical safety risk assessment, companies cannot tour in their own lighting equipment. Set electrics and
practicals will be considered, but must be electrically safe, have a valid PAT test certificate and are at the discretion of the Pleasance
Lighting team.
● It is not possible to refocus or re-gel in between shows, however re-patching of generics will be possible. As the generic rig is used
and relied upon by all shows, re-focusing of the generic rig is not possible under any circumstance.
● As it would be impossible to provide exact gel requirements for every show at the Pleasance, we ask that you please bring any gels
you require for your company special lights yourself.
● Companies are responsible for saving and backing up their show data and it is advised that this happens on a regular basis.

Pleasance Beside: Video

● There is no video equipment provided as part of the basic venue technical infrastructure.
● If you require video as part of your show we suggest that you discuss your requirements with our video partners. They will offer
competitive rates on hires with a special discount for Pleasance companies, they have a superb knowledge of each of our spaces, will
have a representative team on site through the festival for servicing and repairs as well as a stock of spare equipment.
Our video partners will receive your submitted technical questionnaires and will be in touch to discuss how they are able to help.

Pleasance Beside: Sound

Mixing and Processing:
Loudspeakers and Amps:
Playback and Recording:
Microphones and Accessories:
Soundcraft m8 mixing console or equivalent.
The venue has 3 d&b E8, 2 d&b E6 loudspeakers which provide coverage of the auditorium.
Low end is provided by 1 d&b E12 Sub.
1x PCDI with mini jack input
2x Shure SM58 dynamic microphones with 1 tall boom stands and 1 hand stand, 1x DI box.

All venues as standard will be provided with a Mac Mini running QLab (Basic Unlicensed Version).
If you require a licence please contact edinburghtechnical@pleasance.co.uk who may be able to arrange or advise.
See here for a breakdown of the QLab licences.
● We are able to provide additional equipment to supplement the basic stock, this will be discussed and negotiated with the Pleasance
Sound team and you will be charged separately for the hire. Each Hire will be charged for each week or part thereof that it is in the
venue. It may be possible to share the additional equipment with other companies to reduce the cost, however we are unable to
guarantee this.
● All additional sound kit will need to be agreed with the Pleasance well in advance.
● Any electrical equipment that you wish to bring as part of your production must be electrically safe, have a valid PAT test certificate
and are at the discretion of the Pleasance Sound team.

Pleasance Beside: Health and Safety

● All visiting productions must submit a show specific risk assessment and fire risk assessment to the Pleasance technical team as part
of the technical questionnaire submission. All companies must complete these necessary forms regardless of whether or not there are
any perceived risks. These documents are part of the Pleasance contractual agreements and are a legal requirement.
● The use of smoke, haze, strobe, laser, pyrotechnic effects or naked flames in your production must be cleared with the Pleasance
Technical Operations Manager in advance and must accompany a sufficient risk assessment and method statement.
● Due to Scottish executive regulations, smoking is not permitted in any venue under any circumstances.
● It will be the responsibility of the visiting company to ensure that each turn around is planned and carried out safely each day, you
must ensure that you have made sufficient provisions to undergo any construction and deconstruction in a safe manner. It is
recommended that a method statement should be drawn up for your turnaround and this should be discussed and rehearsed as part
of your technical rehearsal slot.
● All accidents, incidents or near misses must be reported to your venue manager at the time it happened as it's our responsibility to
ensure your safety and prevent injury to others.

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Pleasance Beside: Staffing and Operators
● Pleasance Beside will be staffed by 1x Crew Lead, and 2x Multi Skilled Crew. They are there to ensure the venue operates smoothly
and safely to time each hour of the day for the entire month. They will be on hand to assist with your turn arounds, program lighting
and sound during your tech and are able to operate your show should they be required.
● There is a charge of £22.00 per performance per operator if you require Pleasance staff to learn and operate your show.
● If the operator is simply putting lights up/down, then a reduced fee of £13.00 per performance will apply.
(Please note that Lighting and Sound are located in the same control position so it is possible for one technician to operate the show
however we would recommend that you consider more than one for technically heavy shows)

Pleasance Beside: Contact us

To make a general technical enquiry or to discuss something about our spaces please contact:
edinburghtechnical@pleasance.co.uk
To contact our video partners please contact:
video@pleasance.co.uk
If you wish to email our Lighting Manager or Head of Sound directly please contact:
lighting@pleasance.co.uk
sound@pleasance.co.uk

The Pleasance receives the right to alter the technical specification of its venue without prior notice or consultation.

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