LX1 is an independent British-owned production company specializing in technical and project management, creative lighting design, equipment rental, and technical staffing for theatre, immersive experiences, and live events.
Founded and operated by industry professionals, LX1 brings together decades of experience delivering projects throughout the UK and internationally, having supported productions and events in more than thirty countries while providing technical expertise and support to a diverse range of clients. The company has earned a strong reputation for combining creative excellence with practical and reliable execution.
As demand for its services continues to grow, LX1 has made a significant investment in new lighting and control technologies supplied by Live Technology.
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Our objective was to increase capacity while expanding our inventory with versatile, high-performance fixtures capable of serving a wide range of productions. Martin Professional was a natural choice. It is a brand consistently requested by many of the lighting designers we work with, and its reputation for performance, reliability, and durability makes it an attractive option for a growing company like ours. Reliability is critical, particularly when supporting long-running theatre productions and immersive experiences where consistency is paramount, explains Director Darran Curtis.
LX1's investment in more than 100 new Martin fixtures included doubling its MAC Viper XIP inventory to 80 units, while also significantly expanding its stock of Aura XIP and MAC ONE fixtures.
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Darran continues: "Alongside the lighting fixtures, we expanded our inventory of Obsidian EN-4 Ethernet-to-DMX nodes, strengthening our networking and control infrastructure capabilities. We also added further Obsidian products, including the NETRON EN12 Ethernet-to-DMX Gateway. We have always found Obsidian products to be robust, reliable, and highly cost-effective, delivering outstanding performance and flexibility across a wide range of applications".
This significant investment positions LX1 to support larger-scale productions, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and continue delivering the high standards its clients expect. According to Darran, the spectacular 2026 touring production of Barnum was one of the main drivers behind this strategy:
As discussions around the project progressed, we wanted to ensure we had the capacity and resources to support the show's ambitious lighting requirements while also strengthening our inventory for future productions. Barnum is an excellent example of LX1's collaborative approach, combining creative problem-solving, technical expertise, and investment in the latest technologies to bring ambitious productions to life.
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It was specifically for this project that we increased our inventory of MAC Viper XIP and Aura XIP fixtures, which, together with the MAC One, created a flexible and dynamic lighting rig capable of matching the scale, energy, and spectacular visual impact associated with Barnum. The production also required extensive networking infrastructure and a significant amount of control data. To support this, we deployed Obsidian EN-4 nodes throughout the system, providing robust and efficient DMX and network control distribution. The combination of modern network architecture and high-performance fixtures enabled the creative team to fully realize the show's visual ambitions while maintaining the reliability demanded by such a challenging theatrical environment.
Meanwhile, Barnum Lighting Designer Jai Morjaria praised both the LX1 team and the Martin lighting package:
Collaborating with Darran, Andrew, and the entire LX1 team was an absolute pleasure. Their technical expertise was invaluable, from flawlessly managing the production to recommending an outstanding Martin lighting package. Using a full rig of Martin MAC Viper XIP and MAC Aura XIP fixtures, supported by the incredible versatility of the MAC One, we brought the vibrant and visually spectacular world of the circus to life for the Barnum UK Tour, showcasing rich colours and stunning gobos thanks to the Viper XIP's exceptional colour-mixing capabilities.
