Aggreko Provides Power and Temperature Control for Cirque du Soleil in U.K.

Aggreko, power and temperature control specialists, is providing Cirque du Soleil in Manchester, U.K., with a constant temperature for its production of Amaluna, which opened in Manchester this week.

          Aggreko, an official sponsor of Amaluna in Manchester, has to maintain the temperature in the Grand Chapiteau – the Big Top – at a consistent 21 degrees celsius, regardless of the temperature outside.

          Temperatures in Manchester have been hitting the mid-20s in recent weeks, but by the time the show closes, on October 9th, they could be in the region of between 8 and 14 degrees.

          “We’re used to working with variations in temperature, including extremes of plus and minus 30 or 40 degrees, so a bit of fluctuation in the Manchester climate will be straightforward to deal with,” said Aggreko’s head of temperature control David Taylor.

          In the show Amaluna by Cirque du Soleil, which is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Tempest, some of the acts, like the Balance Goddess, the air must also be absolutely still and the temperature control system is turned off completely to ensure no air movement at all while she performs with a number of long stick-like props.

          Cirque du Soleil’s Big Top, which is suspended between four masts, and pitched at the Intu Trafford Centre, is large enough to accommodate 2,500 spectators.

          “That many people create quite a bit of heat and humidity, so we need to get the sums right to keep the temperature at a constant 21 degrees, especially when our equipment is turned off for a period of time. It’s really important for the artists’ safety, as well as the audience’s comfort to have that temperature, so we are very proud that Cirque du Soleil rely so heavily on us.”

          Aggreko ensures each location has a stable and reliable power supply, which is completely independent of the local electricity grid.

          Performances take place in a variety of summer and winter locations and require power and temperature control systems that work as effectively in the Brazilian summer as in the Russian winter so Aggreko employs a sophisticated, integrated heating and cooling system to ensure the target temperature is maintained.

          “It is crucial for the artists that the temperature is maintained at 21 degree,” said Amaluna publicist for Cirque du Soleil, Olivier Fillion Boutin. “They rehearse every day for hours in the big top and they get too tired if it is too hot. Audiences also expect the temperature to be comfortable. And we couldn’t perform at all without lighting, and Aggreko helps power that, so we rely on Aggreko to ensure that everything works perfectly for our performance. We couldn’t put on our big top shows without them,” he said.