themeraki:

Puppet Display: Is this the way forward for theatre?

If you reside in the UK then it would be almost impossible for you not to have heard about the giant puppets which roamed the streets of Liverpool this weekend. The extraordinary guests brought an estimated 600,000 people with them completely smashing the 250,000 expectation of people that were expected to attend the event. ‘Sea Odyssey’ was created by Nantes-based French company Royal De Luxe as a part of Liverpool’s commemorations for the recent 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. 
The story itself shows the little girl entitled ‘Little Giant Girl’ walking around Liverpool on a quest to learn news of her Father who had gone down with the doomed ship. It was inspired by a letter dated the 13th April 1912 sent by ten-year-old May McMurray from 60 Empress Road, Kensington, who had penned it being recently ill and was longing to see her absent “Dada”. The letter would never reach her beloved Father, William McMurray a 43-year-old bedroom steward on the Titanic.
The event shows the girl’s Uncle diving from the Albert Dock as as he apparently swims to to the wreck of the Titanic, to bury his Brother and retrieve mail from the ship destined for his Niece, the young girl and Uncle roamed across the city alone covering around 23 miles (37km), only to return to her a hundred years later to comfort the infant before boarding a boat and sailing down the River Mersey together.
The three characters The ‘Little Giant Girl’ 30ft (9m), her Uncle 50ft (15m) are made from poplar, lime wood and steel have eyes made from street lights, eyelashes made from broom bristles and hair made from Horse hair. The dog puppet which accompanies ‘Little Girl Giant’ 30ft (9m) Xolo is made from steel and papier mache. The three of them were moved along by a team of 110 puppeteers and crane operators who like to refer to themselves as ‘Lilliputians’. 

If you are like me and didn’t get to go down this weekend there is a programme about the true story of the girl whose letter inspired this production broadcasting on BBC One at 7:30pm on Wednesday.
Not only did I want to tell you all about this but can you imagine if more and more theatre productions decided to take this as a step forward? People may become more interested in theatre as a whole. In Scotland I think they do Macbeth outdoors and it’s been described as flawless! If the classic/original stories got put on the streets what could go wrong? It would completely reinvent the theatre experience, introduce more people to the wonders of theater and distance the boundaries it is faced with. That or some ridiculous protester could ruin it for everyone.
I’ll write more on this soon as I know I will end up writing hours of material and then realise that a) It’s all rambling nonsense. b)I’ve forgotten my main point. Or c) I’ve bored you all to death.

Promotional Advert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&feature=player_embedded&v=RqqGhKl2Whk 
Main Website:
http://www.giantspectacular.com/  

-Elise

• From: Meraki
• themeraki
• Origin: Meraki

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Isla (Seascape) by Yoan Capote

• From: Randoms from Rob
• roberto
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