From: Andrew Kim <email-AT-andrewkim.info>
Date: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 10:25:13 -0500
To: puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Royale de Luxe and Public Funding


I also saw Royale de Luxe's three-story Elephant walking down the  
streets of London last month and it was one the most powerful puppet  
experiences I've had in recent memory. Not only was I blown away by  
the artistry (gorgeous design, sculpture, manipulation) but I was  
amazed at how it shut down downtown London for a weekend and  
mesmerised thousands and thousands of people. Folks were running down  
the street trying to get a better look, calling all their friend  
telling them they must come down and see this. At one point, during a  
break, the puppets were sleeping (the girl's chest rose and fell with  
a subtle breath with no puppeteers in sight) and I waited along with  
thousands of others in Trafalgar Square for an hour in the rain just  
to see these enchanting giants come alive again. I've never seen so  
many people so readily taken into the magic of puppets before.

This three-day street theatre piece was performed largely through the  
government support of the Arts Council England, the Mayor of London  
and the City of Westminster. It's rumoured to have cost =A31 million (US 
$ 1.8 million).

Yes, it's a lot of money but as this was a FREE outdoor event it  
could not have happened without public funding. In relation to the  
strain of conversation on this list about arts funding it's a good  
example in favor of why it's so important for a society to support  
aspects of culture which feeds it's citizens but does not necessarily  
measure it's success on the number of tickets sold or schools booked.

Andrew Kim
www.thingumajig.info



> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2006 11:26:59 -0700
> From: <danvie-AT-lightspeed.ca>
> Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Royal De Luxe, Nantes
> To: <puptcrit-AT-lists.driftline.org>
> Message-ID: <20060616182653.1C5911BB18-AT-che.dreamhost.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> Royal De Luxe is from Nantes, France:
>
> http://www.nantes.fr/ext/royal_de_luxe_2005/
>
> The company just wrapped up their London production:
>
> http://www.thesultanselephant.com/about/royaldeluxe.php
>
> If you haven't checked out this work yet...do so,
> very highly recommended.
>
> Dan Vie
> Vancouver BC
>
>
>> 06 10:23:41 EDT
>> From: Jimsan777-AT-aol.com
>> Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Inflatable puppets and staging
>
>> In a message dated 6/16/06 5:53:28 AM,  
>> adam-AT-dynamicnewanimation.co.uk writes:
>>
>>
>>> I just watched a 30foot tall puppet girl beautifully manipulated  
>>> and fifty
>>> foot tall elephant roaming the streets of London. all bt French  
>>> company
>>> Royal De Luxe. Goes to show effective government subsidy of the  
>>> arts.
>>>
>>> Dear Dan,
>>
>> Thanks for directing us to this website...the photos (which were  
>> taken in
>> Paris) are incredible.   Is this a traveling show?   The puppets and
>> supporting
>> structures look massive, but not inflatable.   From where did this  
>> company
>> come?   Where else could one see them?   It would be worth a trip to
>> Europe.
>> Thanks agian...I'm very impressed.   Jim Gamble
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