On Thursday 4 May 2006, The Sultan's Elephant will appear on the streets of central London. Created by the French company 'Royal de Luxe' the wooden elephant weights 42 tons and is the height of a three-storey house! Royal de Luxe are an extraordinary European street theatre company, renowned on three continents but hardly known in Britain. This is the first time a 'Royal de Luxe' show has appeared in London.
The Story
Loosely based on a story by Jules Verne, the elephant and its passengers will move around Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus. The gist of the story is about a sultan who was tormented in his dreams by visions of a girl who he believed was travelling through time. He couldn't sleep so he built a time-travelling elephant and set off in search of the girl, who, in the course of his nightmares, had been transformed into a marionette 5 meters high.
Organizers
The event has been organized by Helen Marriage and Nicky Webb who run the Salisbury Festival under the name Artichoke Productions, and have increased the audience there from 5,000 to 50,000, so they know a good thing when they see one.Big Demands!
The event will make more demands on our city than The London Marathon, St. Patrick's Day Celebrations, or the Lord Mayor's Parade. I can't think of a time when our streets have closed for art - political demonstrations, roadworks - yes, but not art.The Budget
The budget is well over £1 million and has been funded by the Arts Council England, the London Development Agency, and the Mayor of London, among others. It is totally free to spectators.Schedule
Thursday 4 May will be the prologue to the event and the spectacle will really begin on Friday 5 May. It takes place in the streets and public spaces of Westminster, in the area around Horse Guards Parade in St James’s Park, St James’s, Piccadilly, Haymarket, and Trafalgar Square. You can receive free updates about the event by signing up to the Sultan's Elephant mailing list.
Friday 5 May 2006The spectacle begins:Tour: 2pm – 3pm and 5pm – 8pm
Saturday 6 May 2006
Sightseeing: A sultan’s welcome: 9.30am – 1pm and 3pm – 6pm
Sunday 7 May 2006
Sunday in the city: Finale: 11am – 1pm and 3pm – 6pm
