Brave Goliath's Lightmare

My name is Chris Runciman. I ran a light show in Exeter in Devon UK in the middle 60's:

'Brave Goliath's Lightmare'

Shows at Exeter Uni.. Tech College and Art College and various clubs and 'happenings' , Ballet Rombert at Northcotte Theatre.etc.

I was 'headhunted' by the members of Principal Edwards Magic Theatre to join the group.

Gave up my day job to go full time with them. The first long tour was as support to the Pink Floyd on their Piper at the Gates of Dawn Tour, sounds very grand now but most of the gigs were clubs and Floyd were in a Ford Transit !! We shared projectors but not secrets.............I later met up with Claire Seargent (Pale Green Limousine Lightshow) at The Temple in Wardour Street London. As we arrived about 4am to do a late show she offered me the use of her projectors to save on set up time.

We used Meccano parts and gears for the colour wheels. Food dies and inks
sometimes with a dash of acetone to liven thing up were the order of the day. Technicolour faces went with the job as slides used to explode now and then.

Unfortunately she had removed the heat filters as her show was predominantly liquids but mine was a mix of slides and fluids......you can imagine my face as some of my prized images melted quite spectacularly during the show! Claire and I then became an item for a while.

My first real true love and I met her over a projector....

35+ years on and I am still in the show production business but thats for a later mailing.

By the way my first projector was an Optimus 3.5" with wooden slide carriers and lots of brasswork that I converted from acetylene to electric using parts from a Strand Patt.23. The larger format was great to work in and I ended up with 3 and still have them somewhere.

Regards
Chris R - August 2003