Liverpool-Live

Liverpool City Council is currently working with RDL, pulling together plans for an extravaganza to welcome the giant, who has only been seen once before in the UK when she wowed 1.5million people in London at the Sultan’s Elephant event in 2006.

Talks have been taking place since 2006, when Artistic Director and founder of RDL, Jean-Luc Courcoult, visited Liverpool and was inspired by an emotional letter he saw in the Merseyside Maritime Museum written by a young girl whose father was a passenger on the tragic maiden voyage of the Titanic. As a result, Liverpool’s ‘Sea Odyssey’ was born.

From Friday 20 to Sunday 22 April 2012 a visually stunning, free event involving the Little Girl Giant will take over the city, telling a story inspired by the Titanic. Key city spaces will become focal points in a moving story of love, family and communication.

It will be one of the highlights of next year’s events in Liverpool to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

Leader of Liverpool City Council, Councillor Joe Anderson, said: “To work with such a world renowned company as Royal De Luxe is a real coup for Liverpool and it’s wonderful we can mark this important anniversary with an unforgettable event.

“The Titanic will always resonate with Liverpool, particularly as the name of the city was emblazoned on its stern and many of its crew were from the Merseyside area.  As it set out on its maiden voyage, it was the greatest vessel in the world, reflecting the city’s position as leading world port.

This collaboration is the latest involving Liverpool city council and exceptional artists.  In 2008 La Machine took over the city by bringing La Princesse (a 50 foot spider) to the streets, and in July this year, 3D experts The Macula from the Czech Republic transformed the Liver Building by projecting incredible images on to it, marking its centenary.

Director of Culture Liverpool, Claire McColgan, said: “One of the major successes of our European Capital of Culture year was filling the programme with moments of sheer magic, bringing together thousands of visitors and residents, sparking the imagination and getting people talking about art and culture.

“As a city, we put on exceptional free events and no matter what walk of life you’re from, you can experience something which transports you to another world – this is what great art achieves.

Liverpool is one of five Titanic cities holding events in 2012.  The other cities are Belfast, Southampton, Cherbourg and Cobh (Co. Cork).  Visit www.titaniccities.org.uk for more information.