Technology and art combine to make The Next Chapter as captivating as the original tale

In 1001 Nights: The Last Chapter, Les 7 Doigts de la Main and Multiple International continue the timeless Arabian saga. The all-new original production was commissioned by the Sheik of Sharjah in honour of the city being named UNESCO’s World Book Capital for 2019. The Last Chapter kicked off Sharjah’s festivities, opening April 23, 2019.

The show had to be as entrancing to a modern audience as Scheherazade’s tales—an epic that’s above all about the captivating power of storytelling. Artists in Motion (AIM) created the impressive projections that would transform the stage into wildly different settings: an opulent library, cursed garden, terrific sea storm or crystal-clear night skyscape. VYV’s people and technologies—along with long-time partner Creative Technology’s hardware—were there to make AIM’s ambitious artistic vision a stunning reality. “The show was really symbiotically developed with VYV technology,” explains Anthony Bezencon, VYV project manager.

This was no small feat in the coliseum-style amphitheater of Al Majaz. The open-air structure left the production at the mercy of the elements, limiting projector positions. But VYV’s three-person team, three photon servers, and Albion tracking system, ensured that the sixteen 30 000-lumen projectors integrated seamlessly with the real world and were presented flawlessly from any perspective in this nearly 360 majestic theatre.

In addition to five fixed screens and a gnarled tree prop, a central, asymmetric, multi- cube structure were all projection mapped. Tracking and mapping this box in real time was a phenomenal task, as this box rotated and opened up, changing shape throughout the performance while also serving as an additional platform for acrobatics. Photon’s powerful shadow compensations crucially computed and corrected for shadows in real time, for subtle but stunning effects. Time-consuming and difficult mapping and tracking were speedily achieved by Photon’s very quick calibration systems. The scale of the impact is difficult to convey, explains Bezencon, but even seasoned, pessimistic projectionists were wowed.

Equally wowing was of course the amazing human feats of the circus troupe, Les 7 Doigts. Illuminating 21 fast-moving performers executing aerial tricks on chains, straps, and even trampolines pushed the limits of lighting integration and tracking. Luckily, Albion’s tracking system, with 24 cameras and a Copernic pack issued to each performer, were more than able to achieve this impressive feat.

The saga is projected to continue with new performances to be announced in other major cities soon.