Among North America’s most-loved family friendly production traditions, UniverSoul Circus is presently staging ten acts from various continents, reinforcing its position as a truly cultural live entertainment offering.
‘The idea here is to bring everyone from different cultures together,’ explains Production Manager, Kabelo Mashobane. ‘Soul doesn’t have a colour; it doesn’t matter where you are from. When it comes to seeking entertainment, we all speak the same language.’
To convey the messaging behind the new show, UniverSoul Circus called in Eighth Day Sound: ‘Our audio delivery is unique – we have a lot of dynamic sounds due to our different acts bringing their own regional take,’ Mashobane says. ‘From classical ballet songs to Afrobeat, to Soca music from the Caribbean, we have something for everyone.’
Touring a big top tent for up to six weeks at a time across US cities, there were two main priorities when it came to designing a compact touring audio system: unified audience coverage, and ease of installation. ‘The tent structure and the logistical needs of the talented performers dictated any PA constraints,’ says Eighth Day Sound’s Chris Berry. ‘The majority of the flown production elements are required to hang from the circular truss suspended above the centre ring, so deploying a system from the centre and following the shape of the roof structure to minimise reflections was key.
‘The performance area of the tent is in the centre with the audience wrapped around 300° of its perimeter. Given the weight and spatial limitations of the flown circle truss, the sub system couldn’t be suspended with the line array. As the centre of the room is the performance space, having the subs as a distributed cardioid system and placed under the bleachers was also key.’
To gain sound clarity throughout the performances – which include the Havana Night Skaters, China Soul Flyers and Extreme Riders – was imperative. ‘What I like about working with Eighth Day Sound is the support system we receive – it’s been phenomenal,’ Mashobane continues. ‘They listened to what we needed and gave us an audio design that complements all our sounds. Afrobeat songs need that low end, the ballet songs hit those mid and high tones, and if there’s a violin playing, you’ll be able to hear the sound very clearly. No genre is left behind and that’s important to everyone.’
It’s estimated that more than a million people have attended a UniverSoul Circus show, watching highly skilled performers while absorbing the inclusivity of such a positive institution. ‘Our circus is very interactive, with a lot of audience participation,’ Mashobane says. ‘I think that’s what attracts people to keep coming to see us. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what your background is, as soon as you’re under our big top, we are all one family.’
More: www.8thdaysound.com
