Planar CarbonLight CLM10.4 LED displays light up Holiday on Ice and & Juliet stage tours

CLM10.4 LED screens from Leyard have been provided by event and theatre technology supplier Blue-i Europe for two major stage productions currently captivating audiences: Holiday on Ice and & Juliet. These highly acclaimed shows are using Leyard's state-of-the-art technology to enhance their live experience with vibrant, high-quality visuals that push the boundaries of stage design.

Since November 2024, Holiday on Ice has been touring a brand-new production across Europe. with performances stretching through to April 2026. With over 80 years of success, more than 330 million viewers have experienced the magic of Holiday on Ice in over 100 different shows at almost 60,000 performances on five continents. The annual spectacle, under the expert direction of executive producer Michiel Morssinkhof and CEO Peter O’Keeffe, is considered the epitome of sophisticated live entertainment on ice and has been included in the Guinness Book of World Records five times. As part of this groundbreaking show, Leyard’s CarbonLight CLM10.4 LED screens are providing crisp, dynamic visuals across a massive 160 square metres of display area.

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These thin and lightweight mesh LED displays, with 10.4mm pixel pitch, are designed for indoor or outdoor environments and feature transparent and non-transparent carbon fibre for low wind resistance and sound transmission. The modular design, coupled with a high-strength carbon fibre housing and IP65 outdoor protection rating, is suitable for a wide range of simple or complex hanging or free-standing applications.

This marks the first time Blue-i Europe has supplied technology to Holiday on Ice. The CLM10.4 LED walls are proving to be the perfect match for the challenging and demanding environment of touring ice shows. Despite the cold temperatures, moisture, and the constant risk of condensation from the ice, the CLM10.4’s lightweight and robust design make it ideally suited for the tour. The display’s transparency, brightness, and resistance to environmental factors such as humidity ensure that the screens remain bright and clear, regardless of conditions.

“It’s a really impressive use case of this product because it's bright enough for large arenas, it's waterproof enough for ice rinks, it's lightweight enough to hang large volumes, and I think it's the perfect product for this production.”

Ethan FORDE
European Sales Director, Blue-i Europe

“The Holiday on Ice team knew exactly what they needed and, having already used Leyard products before, it was an easy decision. The CLM10.4’s durability and low power consumption, combined with its ability to withstand the rigours of touring, make it the perfect fit for these types of live performances,” adds Ed Cooper, Director of Blue-i Theatre Technology. “Luke Marler-Hausen [Co-Territory Head UK - Rental & Staging at Leyard Europe], is always at the end of the phone and he's quick to react. We were quite demanding at the start with our first investment, but nothing was too much trouble.”

Another standout use of Leyard technology is in the production of & Juliet, the smash-hit musical that began its run on the West End in 2019 and has since toured nationally and internationally, picking up three Olivier Awards and six WhatsOnStage Awards along the way. The show presents a fun and modern twist on the timeless Shakespearean tale of Romeo and Juliet, with a soundtrack of iconic pop anthems from songwriter, producer, and hitmaker Max Martin. Flipping the script on the greatest love story ever told, it asks, what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo?

For this production, Blue-i Europe also provided Planar CarbonLight CLM10.4 LED displays, chosen for their high performance, transparency, and ability to integrate seamlessly into the show’s creative vision. The CLM10.4 is key to the show's design, where moments of transparency reveal the theatre's house lighting, transforming the set between scenes. The lightweight, carbon fibre construction of the panels made them an ideal solution for London’s Shaftesbury Theatre’s weight restrictions, while the robust design ensured the displays continued to perform at their best during the rigours of touring. Accompanying the Leyard video walls, and also supplied by Blue-i Europe, are Colorlight Z6 4K processors, chosen for their colour production and brightness control capabilities.

“We conducted numerous shootouts at the start since it was a new product and manufacturer for us. Leyard, especially for us as a young company at the time, stood out compared to others. Their CarbonLight panels were ideal for the West End venue, where weight was a key factor. The carbon construction made them both lightweight and durable, unlike other 10mm transparent products that can get fragile after touring. Technicians also appreciated the speed of remapping with Leyard panels, which saved valuable time on-site.”

Ed COOPER
Director, Blue-i Theatre Technology

The creative team, including the show’s designer Andrzej Goulding and system engineer Dan Trenchard, have praised the CLM10.4 for its perfect balance of transparency, weight, and durability without compromising on performance.

“Having the link cables attached to the panels saves a lot of time,” adds Forde. “They’re lightweight, making it easy for one person to lift and rig them. The AM fast action locks, used on the West End show, were also really effective. The displays on the back are useful, too, letting us quickly check runtime, temperatures, errors, and monitor our rental stock for better batch matching efficiency.

“The CLM10.4 is probably one of our biggest workhorses. It's always in demand, so we upgraded and bought a load of 6.9mm versions as well. For clients who don’t necessarily need the transparency, but want all the other features, 6.9 really hits the mark.”

Ethan FORDE
European Sales Director, Blue-i Europe

In between touring, the LED setup has also been used on We Will Rock You at the London Coliseum, Strictly Come Dancing Live! and various other arena shows.

“The Leyard screens always come back with the fewest errors, faults, or damages,” concludes Forde. “Having Leyard based here in Europe is a real plus, and the service we get from the company in terms of spares and support is always super quick.”

“We pride ourselves on offering the best solutions to our clients, and working with Leyard Europe has been a key part of that. Their commitment to quality and innovation has been evident throughout our partnership, and we’re excited to continue supporting productions like Holiday on Ice and & Juliet with world-class technology.”