Two UK theatres are set to take delivery of ETC's Eos lighting control systems: the refurbished Young Vic in central London and the brand new Rose Theatre in Kingston, south west London will receive ETC's latest desk within the next few weeks.

The Young Vic closed for a refurbishment in 2004, reopening in October 2006 after installing over 120 ETC Source Four luminaires, including the latest 70º and 90º field angles as well as Source Four Revolution moving lights and ETC Sensor+ dimming. At the time, however, Head of Lighting Graham Parker could not find a new control system that suited them, so they continued using their old desk, a Strand 520. That changed when they tried an Eos this summer.

Graham says: "Although we are a mid scale theatre, all our shows can be quite lighting heavy, so we needed a control system that freelance programmers would pick up quickly. We tried out an Eos for two weeks and found that it offered a good user interface, with the touchscreens and faders well laid out. It also provides excellent moving light control and tracking."

The Eos will be used to control the lighting in the Young Vic's 600 seat main auditorium with a Remote Processor Unit as backup, while the two smaller studio spaces will each be making use of an ETC Ion - Eos's brand new little sister - when it is released in the new year. The control systems are being supplied by Darren Beckley, business development manager at Stage Electrics.

Meanwhile, the Rose Theatre, Kingston, a new venue in south west London, will use an Eos and Net3 Radio Focus Remote, as well as eleven 36-way Sensor+ dimming racks and over 100 Source Four luminaires. The theatre will also employ an ETC Unison architectural system for control of house lighting.

Lighting consultant John Tapster, who worked with lighting designer Peter Mumford, says: "Jonathan Porter Goff at Stage Electrics brought us an Eos to try out, and we were impressed with how well it worked for us."

Funded by the Royal Borough of Kingston, Kingston University, and private support, with Sir Peter Hall as director, the theater aims to present a wide range of plays from Shakespeare to familiar classics and new writing alongside family shows, music, comedy and visual arts. The theatre is set to hold its first show in the new year.