The Virtual Ideas Platform, set up in collaboration with Guildhall School of Music & Drama serves as an informal introduction service between independent creative innovators and commercial developers behind the sectors’ leading brands, products and services. The ABTT are pleased to announce that one of the entrants to the 2023 Virtual Ideas Platform is now being developed by Triple E and David Ripley who put this product idea forward.

The Counterweight Caddy is a method of storing weights and addressing the Manual handling issues associated with work on the loading gallery. David Ripley stated; “It’s very exciting to see something go from a random thought, into reality via the ABTT Virtual Idea Platform and now being developed by Triple E. We hope The Counterweight Caddy will make a positive improvement to Health and Safety on the loading galleries of our theatres when it is fully launched, but we need the industry feedback to make it the best product it can be.”

To assist with the development of this product, Triple E are seeking the opinions of those in the industry who use counterweight flying on a regular basis to form the final product. If you are interested in sharing your thoughts, please contact Stephanie Addo at Triple E stephanie@triplee.ltd

The ABTT Virtual Ideas platform is open to anyone and everyone with an idea and aims to recognise and help realise new ways of making theatre work. By its very nature, theatre is a dynamic working environment in which to invent and develop new and better ways of doing things whether this is in special effects, costume and wardrobe, wigs, make-up and hair, scenery, stage, sound, lighting, automation, audio-visual and any other discipline which makes live performance happen.

ABTT CEO Robin Townley said of the Platform: “We know when backstage people are faced with a technical challenge, they get inventive and creative, cook up ideas and find solutions. The Platform is here to recognise, salute and honour those innovators in our midst. We are looking forward to new ideas being submitted for 2024.”