Forget everything you have ever seen. Prepare to be amazed. Behold the discovery of the giant ape King Kong on Skull Island, his terrifying battle against the prehistoric creatures that live there and the brutal murder of the ship's sailors who follow him. See Kong's voyage to Coventry and his fatal attraction to the beautiful Ann Darrow as he pursues her through the city centre. Witness the awe-inspiring finale as Kong ascends the Skydome only to be shot down by fighter pilots in a breath-taking display of aerial photography. King Kong is a film/theatre spectacular.
who:
Snarling Beasties has won numerous awards including three consecutive Perrier Awards for Pick of the Fringe, The Independent Theatre Award and the Time Out Theatre Award. Recent work, including One Hundred and One Dalmatians at The Belgrade, is large in scale, spectacle and impact. Director Debbie Isitt also works in film, television and radio. Her feature film Nasty Neighbours was released in 2000.
why:
King Kong is an irreplaceable part of twentieth-century culture, the greatest, most popular, most intriguing horror-fantasy film ever made. People fainted in the movie theatres because they had never seen anything like it before. It is exactly this kind of experience that we aim to bring to a contemporary audience. The Skydome offers the space to use Dolby surround sound, 360° digital projection technology, and live animatronics so that we can make 2D into 3D before your very eyes. In teaming up with experts in live and cinematic special effects we are able to bring awe-inspiring, quite literally groundbreaking innovation to the stage.
where:
Situated off the Coventry ring road, the Arena is a central feature of the Skydome complex, which includes numerous pubs and clubs as well as the Odeon cinema. Although most often used as an ice rink, the Arena doubles as a venue for other sports and cultural events.
when:
Nightly at 7.30pm
Audience capacity 4000
Suitable for age 7+
Venue Access Audit (carried out by the artist/producer).
This is intended as a guide for other artists and producers considering staging an event in the venue. However please note that the guidance given here is a subjective assessment of the venue as of May 2004.
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For key to symbols, see Access page
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Access Summary
The Skydome Arena is situated within the ring road of Coventry City. It is within walking distance of rail and bus stations and has a number of public parking areas nearby. The Skydome position relative to the main nightlife of Coventry with numerous clubs and restaurants and Odeon cinema is an advantage.
The venue has been designed for easy access for all age groups and needs. The emergency exits lead onto the road that circles the arena. This will enable the safe and controlled audience transition from internal to external positions during the event. The arena has VIP areas and Bar facilities to cater for a 4200 audience capacity.
Technical information
Being a multi-purpose venue, the Skydome technical capabilities are completely suited the demands of the event. The arena power has its own dedicated power distribution boards for controlled supply. Powered hoists for lighting and set. In-house media facilities for recording and performance. And easy access for large equipment
Performance practicalities
The performance schedule involves multiple performances per evening. Length of show would be no more than an hour and the audience would be directed from within the Skydome to the exterior. The road surrounding the Dome would be used as a natural barrier allowing performance vehicles to enter and exit. The adjacent building housing the entertainment centre becomes a second performance structure and the audience view the remainder of the event from the car park. Using the natural sightlines and structures, projections of King Kong rise over the skyline of Coventry.
links: Debbie Isitt | The Skydome
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