njo worked closely with Hoare Lea Lighting to design and develop custom LED units to replace the original GLS lighting in the Grade II listed building owned by Clear Channel Entertainment. A maintenance free, flexible, infinitely variable light source was needed to re-light the “Mermaids’ Palace” that is the Apollo Victoria, in the way the architect designed it, over seventy years ago. njo supplied the cost effective solution within tight deadlines.

“From the first discussions, at the inception of the project to refurbish the Apollo Victoria Theatre, which had been the home of Starlight Express for the previous eighteen years, njo were innovative in demonstrating how LED technology could be used to overcome the problems in lighting the venue, in the way that the original architect had intended.

The auditorium walls were designed to be a canvas for the lighting of the architectural features, to create an undersea world. When the venue first opened, nicknamed the "Mermaid's Palace", some 3,500 light bulbs were secreted behind the ornate plaster shells, pilasters and scrolls. Operating on two circuits of dimmers, which faded between two colours an underwater effect was created, which in 1930 was very innovative.

Access to the light fittings was very tortuous, involving climbing into very small voids, behind the architectural plasterwork, which could not be carried out within today's health and safety guidelines. Using LED's negated the need to access the light sources on a routine basis, with the life of fixtures anticipated to be at least 15 years, based on current usage.

The system installed allows great flexibility, painting the walls with coloured light, creating a multitude of moods, apart from that originally intended. The effects are used by the current show, Andrew Lloyd Weber's Bombay Dreams but are also changeable to suit any other performance, in this 2,572 seat London venue.

njo were able to provide excellent technical support from the design stage, through to ongoing support after completion of the installation. Despite very tight deadlines, the venue opened on time to rave reviews, with njo showing dedication beyond the call of duty, delivering units overnight to allow early installation. The scheme won the Heritage Section of the Lighting Design Awards 2003.”

David Rose (Area Technical Manager – Theatrical London, Clear Channel Entertainment)