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This Weekend, 40 Foot Marionettes Invade Berlin

Oct 8, 2009 09:17 PM

This past weekend Berlin celebrated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall with a visit from France's Royal de Luxe street theatre company.

Royal de Luxe creates insanely amazing large scale, mechanical street marionettes. Founded in 1979 by Jean Luc Courcoult, the company has performed all over the world. From Royal de Luxe's website:

"Shows are simple – the animal or giant arrives in town and lives its life, going about its business for a few days. Extraordinary interactions take place between passers-by and the performance; residents become enchanted with the activities of these miraculous beings and begin to follow their every move. By the end of the performance, huge crowds gather daily to watch the latest episode in the life of the visiting creature."

Royal de Luxe completely blows Burning Man out of the water. In fact, this looks like the closest you'll get to any kind of full blown fantasy, never-never-land in this lifetime (although the potential of creativity knows no limits...I'd love to see someone top this).

Royal de Luxe, please come to the states soon!

Video (in German) below, following are 35 astounding AFP/Getty images from Boston.com.

A diver is seen retrieving a large underwater sculpture while a boat is anchored nearby.

"A police boat makes its way past the Big Giant who is lifted out of the water in Berlin on October 3, 2009... Two marionettes named Little Giantess and Big Giant seek each other out, visiting various historical sites in Berlin, as part of celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the falling of the Berlin wall."

Silhouette of a person in the foreground with a historic building in the background at dusk.

"The Little Giantess sleeps for the night at the Lustgarten next to the cathedral in Berlin..."

A large puppet figure being sprayed with water during a street performance.

"The Little Giantess has a shower in front of Berlin's City hall..."

"The feet of the Little Giantess..."

Giant puppet with oversized wooden foot wearing sandals, surrounded by performers in red costumes.

"The Little Giantess takes her first steps in front of the Rotes Rathaus..."

Giant puppet in green dress parades through a large crowd.

"Crowds of spectators surround the Little Giantess at Bebelplatz..."

Giant puppet of a girl in a green dress, surrounded by a crowd.

"A girl briefly rides on the arm of the Little Giantess..."

Giant diver statue partially submerged in water beneath a bridge, with onlookers in the background.

"Royal De Luxe ("Lilliputians") lift the 9.5 meter tall Big Giant out of the river Spree..."

Giant boots sculpture with water cascading down, overlooking a crowd.

"Water sheds from the feet of the Big Giant as he is lifted from the water..."

Giant puppet being operated by crane demonstration on a cloudy day.

"The Big Giant begins his search through Berlin for his niece, the Little Giantess..."

Silhouette of a person against a bright sun and clouds, with industrial structures in the foreground.

"The Big Giant is moved across a bridge..."

A close-up of a large puppet's face with intricate details, alongside a person in the background operating the puppet.

"The Little Giantess, (and one of her operators) walks through Berlin, seeking her Uncle, the Big Giant..."

Giant puppet of a girl in a green dress at a public festival, surrounded by a crowd.

"The Little Giantess makes her way down Berlin's Friedrichstrasse..."

Giant puppet performance in front of a historic building with a large crowd.

"The Big Giant makes his way past the Reichstag (Germany's pariamentary building)..."

A large puppet head in front of a telecommunications tower.

"The Little Giantess arrives in front of Berlin's City hall with the TV tower in background..."

Giant puppet in a yellow raincoat parading with performers in red costumes.

"Members of the street theater group Royal De Luxemove the Little Giantess, now dressed in a yellow slicker, in front ofthe Rote Rathaus..."

Large puppet on a boat during a performance near a TV tower.

"The Little Giantess rides in a boat in front of Berlin's TV tower..."

Giant puppet of a diver surrounded by a crowd at a festival, with a ferris wheel in the background.

"The Big Giant makes his way the Strasse des 17 Juni..."

Giant oversized shoes on a cobblestone street.

"The boots of Big Giant..."

Giant puppet of a diver being transported by crane at a public event with a large crowd.

"The Big Giant makes his way further down the Strasse des 17 Juni..."

"The Little Giantess in front of the Brandenburg Gate..."

Divers in vintage diving gear during a performance or event.

"Lilliputians remove the helmet of the Big Giant in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate..."

Puppeteers manipulating large marionette figures on strings.

"The Big Giant and his niece, the Little Giantessshare an embrace as they are reunited once again, in front of Berlin'sBrandenburg Gate..."

Giant puppet of a man holding a child in front of the Brandenburg Gate at night.

"The Big Giant and the Little Giantess, newly reunited, sleep in each others' arms in front of the Brandenburg Gate..."

Diver sculpture in front of the Brandenburg Gate.

"The Big Giant wakes in front of the Brandenburg Gate..."

Giant puppets operated in an outdoor theatrical performance setting.

"The Little Giantess and the Big Giant make their way through Berlin toward a waiting boat..."

Giant puppet performance in a public parade with a large crowd.

"Little Giantess walks through Berlin..."

Giant puppet of a diver being moved through a crowd during a parade.

"The Big Giant is walked by performers..."

Celebratory parade featuring giant puppets and sculptures in an urban setting.

"The Little Giantess looks up at papers floating down to the crowd, representing the tens of thousands of letters intercepted by East Germany's Stasi secret police, now symbolically returned to the people..."

Giant shoe puppet being carried during a parade.

"The foot of Big Giant is maneuvered by Lilliputians during the fourth day of a street theatre in Berlin..."

A large marionette figure in a green dress, set against a backdrop of city buildings and suspended machinery.

"The Little Giantess makes her way past the Reichstag..."

Giant puppets being ceremoniously lowered near a river with a crowd gathered on the shore.

"The Big Giant and the Little Giantess are lifted into a boat for their departure..."

A group of performers in red costumes walking past a large, whimsical sculpture by the water.

"Lilliputiansfrom the Royal de Luxe theatre company attend to the Big Giant andLittle Giantess as they prepare to leave Berlin on a boat..."

Giant sculpture of a child and a diver on a barge in a body of water.

"Little Giantess rests on her uncle, the Big Giant as they leave Berlin..."

Canal barge on a waterway with buildings and a bridge in the background.

"A reunited but exhausted Big Giant and the Little Giantess rest as they are depart Berlin on a boat on October 4, 2009..."

Previously, SFX Guru Hatches Big Disturbing Humans (NSFW).

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