La Machine escapes to Birkenhead!

After a busy day in the parish I managed to get into town by 9pm to catch La Princess as she walked past the Empire. The amazing crowds in town almost blew me away...I am not sure I have ever seen so many people in the city at night and certainly I have never experienced collective popular euphoria on this scale before. There was a carnival atmosphere - a world turned upside down feeling - as the the people took over streets usually chocker with cars, taxis and buses. This is the sort of welcome that is usually reserved for football heroes! Yet last night the crowd was more diverse, the atmosphere calm and almost serene.

As I wondered down William Brown Street (do click on the link as it will give you a panoramic view of WB St) past the Walker and on to the library I was very pleased to find John Davies standing on the bottom of the steps. What a treat! Shortly we were joined by Kate who's husband Tommy has been working with Mark on La Machine - we are both La Machine widows who haven't seen our husbands in daylight for nearly 2 weeks! Our vantage point, on the steps, was great...we were able to see the giant spider as she came down the street and advanced on to the Tunnel.

What has been impressive about the production of this three day performance has been the way the company has used the existing cityscape to theatrical advantage. Making adjustments to the street furniture to accommodate the procession (the removal of the tunnel roundabout, the uprooting of traffic lights and closing off of major roads for days at a time) they have optimized the city's natural contours as well as it's man-made structures. This final city venue provided a perfect amphitheatre for the spider's last stand...

Liverpool's La Princess was driven out of the city by a combination of fire, water, snow and a barrage of fireworks. Her exit down the tunnel the finale of a beautiful weekend of spider related elation. I have to say I am going to miss the beautiful beast. Mark is experiencing a combination of exhaustion and post-performance downer. How will he fill his days now La Princess has escaped to Birkenhead!? He is still in bed and may need cake.