Richard Brett was the leading stage engineer of our time. A perfectionist, who always sought better solutions, he changed theatre technology. As a lifelong friend, and my first managing director of Theatre Projects Consultants, he created the role of the professional theatre design consultant, combining theatre, engineering and architectural skills in one group that sought to bridge the yawning gap of misunderstanding that so often occurs between theatre people and architects. Richard was responsible for the trailblazing innovations – the drum revolve, power flying, lighting and sound control – at the National Theatre, which set new standards of excellence that have influenced theatre technology around the world.
The key thing about Richard is that he made things work. I'm a dreamer, and we were an ideal combination. I was the crazy one and Richard created reality. But the relationship was totally interactive, for Richard's encyclopedic knowledge of the stage and of engineering always added not only practicality, but new visions. When Sir Laurence Olivier asked for "an open stage with full scenic possibilities", our task was to realise this – to change scenery on a thrust stage surrounded by space. Richard and I were sitting in a cafe in Vienna, after visiting the Burg theatre, when Dick drew the circular shape of the Greek letter theta on a napkin. "How about this?" He said. It was simple and brilliant. Semi-circular elevators within a drum allowed the entire area of the revolve, and thus most of the thrust stage, to be removed.
It's hard to remember in today's computer world how trailblazing his innovations were: he was often decades in front of accepted practice. We were very close. Richard once said to me how we were good together. He would have processed the most painstaking detail and then I'd drive him crazy by asking a naive question – one that made him reassess his conclusions and find an improved solution. It was like playing a good game of doubles.