Touring theatre productions very rarely have the luxury of time. On a show like Ireland: The Voyage, consistency can’t be achieved through extended tech rehearsals in a single venue – we have to build it into the system right from the get-go.
For the 2026 Australian and New Zealand tour, Concorde Audio Productions was engaged to develop and supply a compact, fully tourable audio system designed to deliver a consistent result across a wide range of venues, from regional theatres to major performing arts centres. The design philosophy is one of three key pillars – consistency, translation, and speed of deployment.
As sound designer Connor Hicks explains, his approach to developing theatre sound design centres on removing uncertainty before the show even arrives.
“Everything is tested, labelled, and ready to go before it even comes out of the case. We’re not trying to make the show work with whatever the venue happens to have on hand, we’re starting from a known system every night. With the same sources through the same mics, through the same cables into the same processing, the mix stays consistent and we’re only ever adjusting the outputs to suit the venue.”
Finding the balance
What sets Ireland: The Voyage apart sonically is its balance of acoustic instrumentation and percussive dance.
The ensemble includes bodhrán, harp, whistle, concertina and guitar – instruments that were never designed to be amplified – alongside Irish dance, which functions as a highly dynamic, full-stage percussion source. Rather than pushing for scale, the system is designed to preserve detail and allow the performance to translate naturally in each room. In this sense, theatre sound design becomes less about output level and more about translation – ensuring the tonal balance and dynamics carry consistently to the audience, regardless of the system or room acoustics.
That translation becomes particularly important for the dancers. Stage acoustics vary significantly from venue to venue, with some spaces naturally projecting the taps, while others require much more effort from the performers.
To address this, the production incorporates a custom wireless tap microphone system, with miniature microphones mounted directly to the dancers’ shoes.
“Some stages are great for carrying the sound of the taps, and others completely absorb it. Putting mics on the shoes means the dancers don’t have to work as hard to push that sound into the room, they can just focus on giving their best performance.”
Dynamic Mixing for acoustic instruments
Just as important is the dynamic range of the show itself. Unlike louder, more compressed live formats, Ireland: The Voyage moves freely from near-silent passages to large moments, sometimes within the same piece. There are moments that are intentionally small – just vocal, or light acoustic instrumentation – and they only work well if the mix is allowed to sit back.
“If everything is loud, nothing’s loud. We’ve got to leave space for the show to open up. It can go from almost nothing to the whole audience singing along. The challenge is keeping that dynamic intact without it ever feeling forced.”
That dynamic headroom becomes as much a design consideration as any individual microphone choice, and it pays dividends in the bigger moments where the taps feel enormous without subjecting the audience to an uncomfortable SPL.
At the same time, the system relies heavily on high-quality condenser microphones (a mix of DPA and Neumann) to capture the detail of the acoustic instruments.
These microphones are chosen for their ability to deliver a natural, consistent tone while remaining practical for touring. Clip-on mounting means repeatable placement, helping maintain tonal balance regardless of venue or stage layout, and the lack of stands makes the whole kit easier to tour.
Among the instruments, the harp plays a particularly important role in shaping the overall sound.
“The harp has this beautiful richness to it. We place a [DPA] 4099 inside the frame, which gives us a really warm, full tone. It holds everything together in the bigger moments, but it also really shines when it’s exposed.”
The result is a mix that remains transparent and dynamic, supporting the performance rather than reshaping it.
The producers’ decision to tour a complete control and stage system was crucial to the success of this approach, and the overwhelming positive feedback the show’s sound has so far received.
Designed for quick turnaround theatre touring
Built around premium wireless, monitoring, and microphone solutions, alongside lightweight fly racks and multipin looms, the package is designed for rapid deployment and minimal reconfiguration from day to day. Consistent in-ear monitoring and pre-configured show programming further streamline the setup, allowing soundchecks to focus on refining the mix for the room rather than rebuilding it from scratch.
“Because the system is consistent, soundcheck becomes about the audience experience. We use virtual soundcheck to adapt the mix to the space before the band even arrives, so we’re never starting from zero.”
The system design reflects a broader touring philosophy: prioritising the audience experience while ensuring the cast and crew have everything they need to perform at their best.
“The brief was never just a list of equipment. It was about understanding what the show needed, and building something that could deliver that result anywhere, quickly, reliably, and without compromise.”
Lightweight, flyable rack systems ensure the production can reach a wide range of venues without sacrificing quality, maintaining a consistent experience for both performers and audiences.
For the audience, that work is largely invisible.
But it’s what allows Ireland: The Voyage to sound like the same show in every venue, not a different version of it. In touring theatre, that consistency is what ensures audiences experience the same show night after night, regardless of the venue.
Ireland: The Voyage continues in Australia and New Zealand until June, and tickets are available here.
Concorde Audio Productions supplied:
- Sound design services
- Control and playback
- Instrument microphone package
- Wireless in-ear monitoring system
- Custom wireless tap microphone system
- Premium wireless vocal system
- Quick deployment looms and trunking
- Flyable cases
The audio team was:
- Connor Hicks
- Nick Cossart
- Joseph Wasson
- Xavier Dannock
