Case Study: Brigadoon Waterfall –Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

16/04/2026

Client: Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Production: Brigadoon
Product: 1mm Butyl Bespoke Welded Box Liner
Size: 2.5m x 2.5m x 0.35m deep, with flanged sides

For the 2025 production of Brigadoon at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, the creative team wanted to incorporate a fully functioning waterfall directly into the stage floor; an ambitious scenic effect that would be used live during performances.

Artistic Director Drew McOnie imagined water as an active part of the storytelling, with performers interacting directly with it onstage. Production Manager Anthony Newton, having used rubber butyl pond liners for theatrical water effects on previous productions, contacted Butek Ponds to supply a bespoke solution that could meet the technical and safety demands of an outdoor theatre environment.

Butek provided a 1mm butyl bespoke welded box liner, manufactured to precise dimensions with flanged sides. The liner was sunk into a purpose-built recess cut into the stage floor. A custom steel frame, fabricated by set builders Set-Up (Scenery), was then installed on top of the liner, allowing the show floor and scenery to be built seamlessly around the water feature.

Water Special Effects Technician Grace Cowie installed a pump and waterfall system with adjustable valves, enabling the flow to be fine-tuned during rehearsals. The effect was used during the musical number Bonnie Jean, with performers washing and dressing in the water as part of the scene.

The liner proved to be robust, reliable, and well suited to repeated live use, supporting both the water maintenance schedule and nightly performer interaction. The finished waterfall became a memorable visual moment in the production and demonstrated the versatility of Butek Ponds’ bespoke liners for creative and non-traditional applications beyond gardens and landscaping.

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