Le Mark and Dirty Rigger Head Back to University

The Cambridge University European Theatre Group (CUETG) selected Le Mark MagTape™ gaffer tape, PVC electrical tape and Dirty Rigger™ Comfort Fit™ rigger gloves to accompany them on their most recent tour. We spoke with Matthew Latham, Production Manager, CUETG, about why they chose our products and how they performed.

About the Theatre Group

“CUETG is a self-sufficient theatrical company which tours a Shakespeare play around Europe for two and a half weeks every December,” explained Matthew. “Its very first production, Romeo and Juliet, featured Sir Derek Jacobi and Sir Trevor Nunn back in 1957. This year, our production was Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello, set in the 1960s London jazz scene. We toured through eight venues in France, Switzerland, Belgium and the UK, before a home run at the ADC Theatre in Cambridge.”

Fortunately, the crew packed plenty of Le Mark and Dirty Rigger products to get them through!

“The tour is entirely student run,” said Matthew. “From the logistics of which venues the show takes place in, and how the company and equipment is transported between them, to the technical elements of setting up lighting and sound in each venue to ensure that the show runs smoothly.

“The tour and production were incredibly successful, and the Dirty Rigger gloves and Le Mark tape were both really useful.”

Tapes on Tour

“We found the Le Mark tapes to be high quality, strong, yet also good at leaving no residue. This was essential when taping cables to bars at every venue. I relied upon the knowledge that the cables would be safely held, but afterwards wouldn’t be left sticky. In addition, the huge range of tape colours provided was great. This allowed us to colour-code cable lengths using the tapes. We used PVC electrical tape as well as Le Mark MagTape Xtra™ Matt gaffer tape.

“The crew really enjoyed the opportunity to be able to use high-quality tape on tour. When securing cables to lighting bars and to the stage, we knew that they would stay fixed in place, therefore, providing a safe stage for our actors.

Rigging Like Professionals

“On tour, the crew regularly had to move around 1.5 tonnes of equipment to and from our coach. This was incredibly physically challenging. I knew professional rigging gloves would really help the crew whilst handling all the equipment. We selected Dirty Rigger Comfort Fit rigger gloves because this is a brand that I have repeatedly been recommended from other technicians.

“Most of the team had not previously had the opportunity to use rigging gloves. They quickly started to love them. They recognised their value in helping protect their hands whilst carrying equipment, focussing hot lights, and against any sharp edges around the venues. I found that the gloves quickly became very comfy to wear and were great for the intensity of get-ins and outs!”

Supportive Service

“The support from Le Mark for this tour was brilliant,” Matthew continued. “You have provided an opportunity to work with high-quality tapes and protective wear. Hannah Tuohy was great, responding to emails quickly and providing as much help as she was able to give.”

“It’s always a pleasure for Le Mark to be able to support the next generation of theatre technicians and crew,” said Hannah Tuohy, UK Business Development, Le Mark. “Student theatre groups like this provide invaluable learning experiences. We hope they will continue to use our tapes and crew wear out in their professional lives too.”