Totally Rigged! Unusual is anything but Clueless at the Trafalgar Theatre

6th April 2025

Clueless the Musical opened at London’s Trafalgar Theatre in February, with Unusual Rigging on board to handle the production’s demanding rigging requirements. With high-flying scenery, minimal clearance, and an entirely diverted counterweight system, the show is a masterclass in demonstrating what Unusual does best - making the impossible possible.

Clueless has been resized and reimagined to fit Trafalgar Theatre, a venue with just 4.5m to the back wall. The team, led by Unusual design engineer Luke MacBride & crew chief Tom Berry worked closely with the designer Mikiko Suzuki Macadams and Illusion Design and Construct company to ensure the show remained visually spectacular, all while operating within extreme spatial limitations. 

Luke explains: "From the outset, we knew we were dealing with incredibly tight tolerances—lights and scenery flying within 30mm of each other. To make it work, we stripped every fly bar from the grid, undertook significant work to the counterweight system, and diverted most sets to allow elements to skim past one another with milimetre precision."

The production incorporates a dead-hung standing set with a complex array of flown pieces, including a pair of periactoids—three-sided rotating scenic elements that create multiple looks downstage. Throughout, flown scenery is supported by the counterweight system that has been adapated beyond its standard limitations .

"Each fly bar in Trafalgar has a SWL of just 175kg, which simply wasn’t enough for the weight demands of this show," says Luke. "We had to get creative to fly the closet wall, the slider truss, and Beverly Hills sign.—joining cradles, removing unnecessary wires, and modifying components to maximise load capacity. We also built a series of steel rafts to support motors and dead-hung elements, including key scenic pieces like the portals and lighting rig.”  
The project saw Unusual Rigging working alongside Absolute Motion Control, who provided counterweight assist winches and automated tracks to accommodate the complex flying requirements. With Clueless currently running until September—and with hopes to extend—the Unusual Rigging team has ensured this production is built to last, even in one of London’s most space-restricted venues.

For more information on Unusual Rigging’s latest projects, visit www.unusual.co.uk.