More than one million people lined the streets of Liverpool to witness four giant marionettes walk through the city centre in a Giant Spectacular over the weekend of 4th – 7th October.
Organised by Culture Liverpool, the cultural arm of Liverpool City Council, and Royal de Luxe, the street theatre specialist, the four-day event featured four giants that once again captured the hearts and imaginations of the city’s residents and visitors.
Events Design Company worked alongside Culture Liverpool and was tasked with providing production and site management to the event, which returned to the city for the third and final time.
Showforce provided four event and site crew to Events Design Company, including one forklift driver, which had the huge task of following the Big Giant across the city with a container – the container was used as a “giant seat” for the giant to rest on, as it took a break from its mammoth walk.
Showforce assisted Events Design Company during rehearsals and unloaded a number of containers that housed the puppets and several props. In fact, the crew even acted as runners, as well as installed ramps and giant props, including a giant deckchair and bed.
The crew completed 33 days on site and totalled 1,628 man hours.
A team supported Creative Technology with the install of their video and projection equipment. The custom screen on the stage had never been delivered before so there were a few challenges to overcome including lifting the screen into position given its weight and limited floor space within the castle grounds. The team also supported with the install of the viewing screens for the Royal box and crowd.
Assisting with installing projectors and lighting meant working within castle itself where there were multiple positions around the top of the walls and around the grounds. This was quite an experience for the crew and not one that they will forget.
Installing the main stage PA and delay towers was relatively straightforward whilst the FOH were on the top of grandstand seating so most of the control and desks were craned into position. For scenic, we had to clad the stage and build the steeldecks in position. There was also a large amount of flooring to lay and skin for the main performance area, along with numerous pre-made walls and set pieces to be assembled and fitted around the structures and stage wings.