I went to see the giants for the second time around with my parents on the last day before they left. We did this in 2012 on the last day and got there just as they were floating down the Mersey waving bye-bye on their ship. It's fair to say we got up early at 7AM and arrived at Liverpool around 9AM ready and waiting for the giants on The Strand. Doing drama as part of my degree and going to uni in Liverpool I was obligated to go and see the giants again as they're a piece of street theatre and the puppets produced by the Royal de Luxe.
The dog was by far my favorite, he lent his head into the crowd to have his head stroked and ran up and down the streets playing. I'm a dog lover though so of course I'm biased.
Xolo really worked the crowd and his gestures were so life like it really did resemble a dog like watching my own pup. Only 10 times bigger .
The grandmother was a new puppet, last time it was the uncle in the scuba kit. She reminded me of my own nana as she hobbled slowly along on her walking stick. Although she sure did walk slow whilst she was gazing into the crowd. She did however look tired after all walking through Liverpool for three days at that age who wouldn't be?
Seeing the little girl again walking with her grandmother and the dog felt like a little family reunion seeing them. After seeing her on the news wandering around Liverpool on her own with the dog looking for her grandmother for them to be reunited on the day we go and see them was truly special.
Saying good bye to them at the docks and them being asleep unlike last time when they waved to the audience, wasn't as good as previously Xolo wasn't there either I wanted to say bye to him. I know you must be tired after three days of walking around Liverpool but c'mon guys wave us lot at the docks bye! After waiting in the freezing cold and having to put the T-shirt I'd bought on top of my other top to keep warm was a little silly in the summer haha.
Overall the experience was magical and of course served the 100th anniversary of world war one well. You really fell in love with the puppets and saw them as real people. The crowd got lost in the story and caught up in the artifice surrounding the performance. You forgot there were people jumping up and down pulling strings, levers, steering wheels to work the huge puppets. You simply stood in awe of these huge "giants".
Of course some merchandise was purchased naturally.
Hope they return soon as I will definitely be going back to say hello to what feel like old friends,
Bekka
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