Royal de Luxe September 2014

pigtown

So the project that started all the controversy at the beginning of the year is actually going ahead. It's set to take place between September 5th and 7th.
Over 200,000 people are expected in the city to watch the street theatre from the renowned French company. More info here; http://www.limerickleader.ie/what-s-on/arts-entertainment/theatre/video-royal-de-luxe-to-come-to-limerick-for-city-of-culture-1-6081520 and here is their website; http://www.royal-de-luxe.com/en/pictures-wall/

billy the squid

The plan is to travel to Limerick for this. it looks amazing.

Kess73

That looks pretty cool. Reminds me a little of the dinosaurs in the Walking With Dinosaurs live show in terms of how the giant puppets in the video moved.


Certainly a must see event if at all possible to get to Limerick for it.

Itsdacraic

It would be just their luck that Limerick will get to the All Ireland Hurling final which is being held that weekend.

Buckeye

pigtown wrote: »

So the project that started all the controversy at the beginning of the year is actually going ahead. It's set to take place between September 5th and 7th.
Over 200,000 people are expected in the city to watch the street theatre from the renowned French company. More info here; http://www.limerickleader.ie/what-s-on/arts-entertainment/theatre/video-royal-de-luxe-to-come-to-limerick-for-city-of-culture-1-6081520 and here is their website; http://www.royal-de-luxe.com/en/pictures-wall/

If anyone wants a front row view, check in with City of Culture or Volunteer Limerick - they are currently recruiting volunteer stewards for Royal de Luxe.

Cookiemunster

Wow I've just seen the list of road closures for this. The whole city is being shut down on Friday Sep 5th. Basically every road is closed from Rutland St to O'Connell Ave and from Roxboro Rd to the river. See here Massive road closures on the Saturday and Sunday too, but at least they're not work days.

vkid

Is it just me or is there very little advertising done for this? To get the crowd they are talking about, surely it needs to be stepped up.
Have heard no-one talking about it outside of Limerick but that maybe just me

Limerick Dude

vkid wrote: »

Is it just me or is there very little advertising done for this? To get the crowd they are talking about, surely it needs to be stepped up.
Have heard no-one talking about it outside of Limerick but that maybe just me

Definitely heard it on one of the national radio stations recently, can't remember which one though, probably Today FM.

Jofspring

Most the people I know don't even know this is happening or even what it's about.

Insect Overlord

Most people seem to ignore the Limerick Post and Limerick Leader/Chronicle. They've all featured information about this event over the last few months. Maybe it has to be on Facebook before the general population starts to pay attention!

Cookiemunster

An File wrote: »

Most people seem to ignore the Limerick Post and Limerick Leader/Chronicle. They've all featured information about this event over the last few months. Maybe it has to be on Facebook before the general population starts to pay attention!

Well in fairness it is 2014. It should be pushed bigtime on social media.

cyberspi

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Well in fairness it is 2014. It should be pushed bigtime on social media.

http://royaldeluxelimerick.ie

https://twitter.com/limerick2014 #LimerickGiant

https://www.facebook.com/LimerickCityofCulture

Feel free to like/share/retweet....

phog

I've heard an ad for it on RTE Radio not sure if other national/local radio stations have an ad for it.

Green Giant

I know someone who went to see it when it was in Liverpool and they said it was phenomenal. Their reaction ran along the lines of "if you don't have time to go see it in Limerick, make time"

Lofty expectations indeed but they've sold me on it!

phog

Green Giant wrote: »

I know someone who went to see it when it was in Liverpool and they said it was phenomenal. Their reaction ran along the lines of "if you don't have time to go see it in Limerick, make time"

Lofty expectations indeed but they've sold me on it!

I think this may be a problem in that people will only realise what they've missed when it's too late.

I've heard people complain about road closures but if this is as good as some folf credit it then the road closures might be a small price to pay.

Cookiemunster

phog wrote: »

I think this may be a problem in that people will only realise what they've missed when it's too late.

I've heard people complain about road closures but if this is as good as some folf credit it then the road closures might be a small price to pay.

The only problem with the road closures is the Friday. Most people won't see any of it that day due to work but will be massively put out due to the road closures. The whole city center will be closed to traffic until 7pm so the Dock Rd and the Dublin Rd/Thomondgate routes are going to be crazy on the busiest evening of the week. And to add to that Munster have their first game of the season in Thomond Pk at 7:35 that day.

I've attached a map showing road closures that day in red.
Location Map med.jpg

[IMG]http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/C:\Users\113011051\Documents\Location Map med.jpg[/IMG]

phog

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The only problem with the road closures is the Friday. Most people won't see any of it that day due to work but will be massively put out due to the road closures. The whole city center will be closed to traffic until 7pm so the Dock Rd and the Dublin Rd/Thomondgate routes are going to be crazy on the busiest evening of the week. And to add to that Munster have their first game of the season in Thomond Pk at 7:35 that day.

I've attached a map showing road closures that day in red.
Location Map med.jpg

[IMG]http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/C:\Users\113011051\Documents\Location Map med.jpg[/IMG]

Don't forget we have the tunnel too for traffic trying to avoid the city.

pigtown

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The only problem with the road closures is the Friday. Most people won't see any of it that day due to work but will be massively put out due to the road closures. The whole city center will be closed to traffic until 7pm so the Dock Rd and the Dublin Rd/Thomondgate routes are going to be crazy on the busiest evening of the week. And to add to that Munster have their first game of the season in Thomond Pk at 7:35 that day.

The official closure notice was in the Leader a few weeks ago and the closures are only for certain times of the day, depending on where the giant is at that time.

On the subject of advertising, Tourism Ireland have included it in their newspaper ads for months, I've heard ads on local and national radio, it's all over the Leader/Post, and there have been write ups in the Times, Business Post, Mirror, among others.

Kess73

pigtown wrote: »

The official closure notice was in the Leader a few weeks ago and the closures are only for certain times of the day, depending on where the giant is at that time.

On the subject of advertising, Tourism Ireland have included it in their newspaper ads for months, I've heard ads on local and national radio, it's all over the Leader/Post, and there have been write ups in the Times, Business Post, Mirror, among others.

It has also been advertised/mentioned in the UK. Limerick got a few mentions on local radio in Liverpool as the next destination of the giant.

iguana

So what exactly is the event? Is it a 3 day long parade of one giant puppet or is there more to it than that?

vkid

Short piece in the independent today so its getting out there. Didn't realise it was just one giant. Looking forward to seeing it in any case

Limerick Dude

There was an ad on TV for this last night on on RTE1 or RTE2 (can't remember which one)

Cookiemunster

phog wrote: »

Don't forget we have the tunnel too for traffic trying to avoid the city.

The tunnel isn't much use to those who don't want to avoid the city. Such as me getting home from work that day.

pigtown wrote: »

The official closure notice was in the Leader a few weeks ago and the closures are only for certain times of the day, depending on where the giant is at that time.

The roads marked in red on the map will be closed until 7pm. Some will only be closed from the afternoon and some will be all day, but they definitely all be closed until 7pm as per the official notice.

Kess73

iguana wrote: »

So what exactly is the event? Is it a 3 day long parade of one giant puppet or is there more to it than that?

One giant puppet (the granny giant), along with marching bands and street entertainers afaik.

The giant will pop up in different parts of the city and outskirts, and the main city centre parade will be one that tells a story (hence the need for the band etc to help create a sense of atmosphere)


It was quite well done in Liverpool recently, so no reason why it won't be just as well done in Limerick.

The only shame is that it is going to be the one giant. But given that Limerick is the smallest city/town to ever have a Royal de Luxe event, I am guessing that the small size of Limerick city would not be able to cater for a full sized show with all the giants involved.

Should still create a good buzz in the city that weekend though, and coupled with the Munster game being played that weekend there will hopefully be more paying customers than usual for the local retailers and businesses.

iguana

Kess73 wrote: »

It was quite well done in Liverpool recently, so no reason why it won't be just as well done in Limerick.

But there were numerous giants in Liverpool, so it's not likely to be quite the same spectacle. Hopefully it will still be fantastic but it will be a very short amount of entertainment with just one puppet.

Insect Overlord

It's on the front of the Chronicle again this week.

Kess73

iguana wrote: »

But there were numerous giants in Liverpool, so it's not likely to be quite the same spectacle. Hopefully it will still be fantastic but it will be a very short amount of entertainment with just one puppet.

There were three giants in Liverpool. The granny (which is the one coming here), a child, and a dog.


What I meant in my earlier post is that I see no reason why the Limerick version will not be as well run and as well presented as the Royal de Luxe show in Liverpool earlier this month.


It is just a pity that the Docks in Limerick and the way the bridges are set up would not allow for an aquatic giants show like the one that was in Liverpool a couple of years back. That truly was a spectacular show with the giants being on boats that came up the Mersey and then going onto the streets.


What I do hope is that we see the show back in Limerick again (it is never the same show twice), and also that they come back to one of the bigger cities in Ireland and bring some of their more impressive giants. Saw footage online of some of the bigger animals that they have as part of their set (much bigger than the dog that was in Liverpool this year) and they look mid blowing.

What they have done, or seem to have done, is improve the movements of each giant. When I saw footage earlier this year I thought they moved a little like the dinosaurs in the Walking With Dinosaurs live show which would have been an upgrade on how they moved in Liverpol a couple of years back, but the giants in Liverpool this summer seemed to be that bit smoother again so that only bodes well for the Limerick experience.

I think it is something that people, young and old alike, will love if they let themselves buy into the fantasy rather than looking at the mechanical aspects of it.

iguana

I suppose part of the spectacle is watching the acrobatics that the puppeteers perform in order to move the giant. I'd say that's impressive too.

phog

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The tunnel isn't much use to those who don't want to avoid the city. Such as me getting home from work that day.
.

That's true but remember some of the city traffic will want to hang around and watch the event on Friday evening. I work and park in the city center and for one evening I think I can make an alternative arrangement - I'll wait until I see what they indend doing wrt road closures, will it be fullscale road closure or a closure only when the Giant is near a cartai street or junction.

The Munster v Edinburgh match is on in Thomond that night as well.

Cookiemunster

phog wrote: »

That's true but remember some of the city traffic will want to hang around and watch the event on Friday evening. I work and park in the city center and for one evening I think I can make an alternative arrangement - I'll wait until I see what they indend doing wrt road closures, will it be fullscale road closure or a closure only when the Giant is near a cartai street or junction.

The Munster v Edinburgh match is on in Thomond that night as well.

I have a link to the road closures in post #6. There are some morning (9am - 12pm), some all day (9am - 7pm) but mainly 3pm - 7pm.

phog

Cookiemunster wrote: »

I have a link to the road closures in post #6. There are some morning (9am - 12pm), some all day (9am - 7pm) but mainly 3pm - 7pm.

I saw that but I think for example when the Giant is on Roches Street traffic will be allowed cross O'Connell St at Malow St or Barrington St. I'm not sure all those roads in red will be locked down. Even then its one day in the year.