Shaping up: how AV tech is defining the future of theatre

Theatres are modernising their AV technology to meet the demands of today’s designers. We spotlight three unique venues, taking stock of their collective upgrades

Words Katie Kasperson 

As AV technology continues to define live entertainment, theatres all over the world – from London’s West End to a UNESCO-listed Old Town – are turning to lighting, audio and digital display vendors for an array of upgrades. Here, we spotlight a few such improvements from the basis for change to the gear involved and how the final results have resonated with artistic directors and audiences alike.

Jermyn Street Theatre

London’s Jermyn Street Theatre is a design-driven venue. Located in the West End, it is an intimate studio space that sheds the barrier between audience and actors. To keep up with evolving artistic visions – and the technical capabilities that realise them – the theatre turned to White Light, hiring its LED battens and Martin MAC Auras.

Expanding the theatre’s lighting rig, both products have had “a dramatic impact on what we can achieve visually,” begins David Doyle, Jermyn Street’s co-artistic director and executive producer. Dear Liar, a production “designed by Tom Paris and lit by Chris McDonnell,” he states, “included a number of theatrical cloths on tracks. It was a totally new type of design and required new equipment to light it. Without White Light’s LED battens, there would have been no way – with the theatre’s existing equipment – to light the full width.”

Given its audiences are so close to the stage (never more than four rows away), Jermyn Street Theatre rewards scenic designs that emphasise dimension and detail. These things “would have been lost” without White Light, argues Doyle. The LED battens made it possible to adjust the cloths’ opacity, letting Dear Liar’s “whole design come to the fore in a way that would have been impossible without them.” The rig also made its mark on productions Orphans, Ragdoll and David Copperfield, and has become a truly invaluable tool in the theatre’s creative arsenal.

Jermyn Street Theatre and White Light have enjoyed a long partnership. What makes it so special, according to Doyle, is White Light’s sound advice. “We spoke to White Light about the challenges we encountered,” he recalls. “The company suggested using LED battens and additional moving lights to dramatically transform what was possible. It worked. The units have had a huge impact on the space,” he says, and have encouraged the theatre’s artists to follow their ambitions.

Saarland State Theatre

Until recently, the Saarländisches Staatstheater (Saarland State Theatre) in Saarbrücken, Germany – just north of the French-German border – used paper banners and posters to advertise upcoming shows, leading to excess manual labour as well as environmental waste. Now the theatre has installed a Philips Urban LED 7000 Series display (developed by PPDS), it has improved its operational efficiency and enabled revolving adverts that can better cater to passers-by.

The 6x2m digital display rests on the theatre’s façade, supported using a custom substructure that protects the building’s almost century-old architecture. To make sure this lasts in an outdoor environment, the IP66-rated LED wall can withstand inclement weather. At night, the display’s ambient light sensors automatically adjust brightness so it is always visible.

By modernising a key element of its marketing efforts, the Saarländisches Staatstheater can update content in an instant, supporting its near-700 annual events with static imagery, video previews, animated graphics and other visual aids. According to Michael Schulz, the theatre’s general artistic director, the digital bulletin has increased ticket sales and live attendance across its diverse programming – including productions of Shakespeare’s Richard III, The Nutcracker and Cinderella.

Tallinn City Theatre

Nestled in Tallinn, Estonia’s UNESCO-listed Old Town, Lai Street plays host to the impressive Tallinn City Theatre. Made of 16 interconnected 13th-century buildings, the venue recently modernised its public spaces – lobbies, dining areas, common rooms and smaller auditoriums – using more than 100 Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers to achieve a complete audio upgrade.

Tallinn City Theatre’s technical teams searched for a high-fidelity system that could provide even coverage and suit the theatre’s intricate medieval architecture. According to senior sound technician Karl Erik Laas, the venue selected Genelec for its ‘exceptional audio quality, attractive form factor, installation flexibility and vocal intelligibility’.

Handled by Optimus Systems AS, the installation included 120 Genelec 4420 and 4430 Smart IP loudspeakers and created 24 distinct audio zones, run via Genelec’s Smart IP Manager software. “The system was expertly planned,” says Laas, “with the positioning ensuring wide directivity, even coverage and absolutely no dead spots.” The entire solution works over a Dante network, minimising the impact on the protected heritage site.

Since reopening in late 2025, Tallinn City Theatre has received high praise from audiences and crew. By fusing sonic precision with cultural significance, the Genelec Smart IP system enhances and preserves the historic space.