L-Acoustics L-ISA Hyperreal was deployed at Shakespeare’s Globe in London for the theatre’s festive season production of Pinocchio, with the system designed to provide transparent sound reinforcement in one of the world’s most celebrated unamplified performance spaces.
The Globe’s open-air circular auditorium presented significant acoustic challenges, including wind, weather, natural reverberation, and the need for consistent coverage across a standing pit and three gallery tiers. The production required a system that would remain invisible both visually and aurally, with L-Acoustics and installer Autograph Sound modelling the space using Soundvision software before committing to a configuration. Physical speakers were brought to the venue so the Globe could assess their visual impact; the speakers’ dark brown finish allowed them to disappear into the oak architecture.
The system comprised five X12 forming the main scene system flown across the front of the stage, supported by two KS21 subwoofers for low-end control. The spatial fill system across the gallery boxes was the most distinctive element: every individual box was equipped with three 5XT speakers – 113 in total across three tiers. For audience members in the upper-tier boxes, where the main stage system is obscured, these fills carried the entire audio experience.
Signal distribution ran via an L-ISA Processor II, LA7.16 amplified controllers, and LS10 switches over a redundant Milan-AVB network. Four discrete sound spaces were configured within L-ISA, with source trims used to tailor the mix for those seated closer to the stage.
Will McGonagle, hire manager at Autograph Sound, said: “The brief was to achieve intelligibility and musical clarity for a family audience, while remaining entirely invisible.”
Toby Chester, global application lead for musicals at L-Acoustics, added: “The 5XT is a remarkably compact speaker – small enough to sit inside a gallery box without disrupting the architecture. Together with Autograph, we were able to deliver subtlety through a professional sound system that served the production without compromising the Globe’s identity or the audience’s experience.”
Sound designer Tony Gayle, whose previous credits include the Olivier Award-winning My Neighbour Totoro, led the sound design for the production. Following positive audience feedback, Pinocchio is set to return to the Globe later this year.
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