'Liverpool's Dream' will be last ever Giants showcase
Photos Serge Koutchinsky - Royal de Luxe

JEAN-LUC Courcoult, founder and Creative Director of the world's most influential street theatre company, Royal de Luxe, has announced that the:- 'Liverpool's Dream' will be the final curtain for the Giants. At a press conference held in Liverpool, on Tuesday, 18 September 2018, Jean-Luc revealed which Giants will be heading to the City and Wirral from 4 October to 7 October 2018, and then delivered the news that the current family will retire after the event.

This will herald a new chapter for Royal de Luxe, which has been producing shows with the much loved characters since 1993. They are now working on a new show featuring a silverback gorilla.

In just over 2 weeks' time, the Little Boy Giant (brother of the Little Girl Giant) will make his UK debut and will explore the streets alongside canine companion and crowd-pleasing favourite Xolo and the 33ft high Giant.

Jean-Luc Courcoult, said:- "I have made a firm decision to end this saga of the giants. If we carry on doing the same thing it wouldn't churn up the same emotion in people, but at the same time, I am very sad. It must be 25 years since we did the 1st show, but just like Monty Python, the comedy must move on."

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said:- "For more than 25 years, the creative genius of Royal de Luxe has wowed millions of people around the world, so I'm sure the news that the Giants will no longer be performing will come as a shock to many. It's a huge coup for Liverpool to stage the last ever Giants event, and final preparations are being put in place to ensure the Little Boy, Xolo and the Giant are given the most spectacular send off. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Jean Luc and the rest of the Royal de Luxe team for the pleasure they have brought to the hundreds of thousands of people lucky enough to enjoy their creations and I wish them luck with the exciting new chapter they are about to embark on."

Here's what to expect in October:-

► Little Boy Giant

Inspired after working in African villages, Royal de Luxe created the Little Boy Giant in 1997 which was premiered in Cameroon. He is 20 foot high, weighs 600kg and needs 27 Lilliputians (23 from Royal de Luxe and 4 local.)

► The Giant

He is a massive 33 foot high and weighs 2.5 tonnes. Able to move at 2km an hour, he needs 44 Lilliputians (30 from Royal de Luxe and 14 local) to move his body which is made of steel, lime and poplar wood.

His hair is made of horsehair, eyelashes made of broom hair and his eyes are streetlamp lights moved by small motors.

► Xolo

Pronounced cho-low; this pup is making his 3rd visit to the City and is set to enjoy licking unsuspecting members of the public and scampering up and down the City streets.

This playful canine is 9ft tall and weighs 200kg. The fastest of all the giants, he can travel at 4km an hour and needs 23 Lilliputians to operate him (19 from Royal de Luxe and 4 local.) He is made of steel and papier mâché.

It not long now until the Giant visitors walk the streets of Liverpool and Wirral; in what will be the final in the trilogy of Giant Spectaculars.

Between Thursday, 4 October to Sunday, 7 October 2018, the Giants will pass major Merseyside landmarks. The action kicks off from 10am, on Friday, in Liverpool on St George's Hall Plateau and on the other side of the water in New Brighton, another Giant will wake at Fort Perch Rock, at 11am and will spend the day enjoying the sights and sounds of Wirral.

Saturday will see all the Giants in Liverpool; they will all come together in the afternoon and spend the rest of their time in the City together.

The show culminates on Sunday with a focus on the waterfront and a parade finale. And as this is Royal de Luxe's final ever time in the City, expect some surprises…

Details of the static element of the show taking place on Thursday, 4 October 2018, will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Due to the scale of the event, residents and visitors are advised that there will be some disruption as a result of road closures across the 3 days.

An interactive version of the map is online, as well as a downloadable copy via:- GiantSpectacular.Com. Printed versions of the maps will be available at selected locations throughout the City Region; a full list of these locations will be available on that website.

Liverpool's Dream has been made possible thanks to support from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Arts Council England.

To keep up with the latest news by following Giant Spectacular on Facebook and Instagram, or visit the event's official website.  Plus you can also follow the story on Twitter via:- #LiverpoolGiants.

Join the giants of football

LIVERPOOL FC, Everton Football Club and Tranmere Rovers are joining forces to stage a series of free, football coaching sessions for local School children; with a giant twist. Hundreds of School children from across the Region are being invited to take part in the event, which will mark the return of the Giants to Liverpool for a spectacular farewell performance. And forget jumpers for goalposts, they will be scoring goals into one of the Giant's sandals.

Royal de Luxe, the world's leading street theatre company from Nantes, is returning to its second home for an unmissable show from Thursday, 4 October to Sunday 7 October 2018.

As part of these unique celebrations, a football themed Giant event will take place on Thursday, 4 October 2018, at Princes Park, where the three local football clubs, Liverpool, Everton and Tranmere Rovers, will be providing free coaching sessions all day.

Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for culture, tourism and events, Councillor Wendy Simon, said:- "We are delighted that our very own giants of football – Liverpool FC, Everton Football Club and Tranmere Rovers; are joining forces with the Royal de Luxe Giants. As with all things Giants, expect the unexpected. We can guarantee this will be no ordinary football coaching session."

Everton in the Community Director of Health and Sport, Michael Salla, said:- "This is a fantastic opportunity for local School children to come and take part in some free taster sessions with our fully qualified coaches. I would encourage as many Schools as possible to register their interest and join us for a coaching session with a difference!"

Katie Ellis from the LFC Foundation, said:- "We're extremely excited to be part of this amazing event in the City. Our team of qualified coaches will be providing tailored sessions for the kids, which we know they'll enjoy."

Tranmere Rover chairman, Mark Palios, said:- "We are thrilled as a football club to be involved in such a unique and popular event that has always proven to capture the imagination of the audience. We have a very strong relationship with Liverpool City Region and they have done an excellent job ensuring the event is taking place. We are excited that the Giants scheduled are not only to be showcased in Liverpool, but also the Wirral for the 1st time! Our involvement mainly comes on the 1st day with the Giants football event in which our qualified coaches will be providing free training sessions to more than 500 children; grassroots football is vital and a major part of what Tranmere represents in the way we offer accessible football for all. The Giants football event ties in nicely with our ongoing commitment through our popular #SWA2 programme that provides children with 1st hand access to Tranmere Rovers. Our Club is proudly rooted in the local community and we are delighted to be playing our part in the football themed Giants event."

The chosen Schools will be allocated a free 1 hour coached session, including mini games and penalty shoot outs, between the hours of 9.30am and 5.15pm. In addition, there will be the opportunity to participate in some other coached sporting activities provided by LFC's Open goals Project. We are offering a total of 576 places to 72 Schools across the Region, the opportunity to put forward a group of eight children from Primary School Years 5 and 6. This can be any combination of boys and girls. There are a limited amount of times and spaces and we are expecting the event to be oversubscribed so Schools will be chosen on a 1st come, 1st served basis. All Schools in the Region have been sent an application form via email and submissions will close at 5pm on Friday, 21 September 2018.

The event is one of the major highlights of the Liverpool 2018 programme; a year long celebration; which marks a decade since the City held the game changing title of European Capital of Culture. The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is supporting several highlight Liverpool 2018 events with ₤5 million from the Single Investment Fund (SIF.)

Royal de Luxe 1st came to the City in 2012 with 'Sea Odyssey,' a story inspired by the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic. The adventures of the Little Girl Giant, her playful canine companion Xolo and the Diver attracted crowds of around 800,000 and brought in ₤32million to the local economy.

The Little Girl and Xolo returned in July 2014 for 'Memories of August 1914.' This time they were joined by a Grandmother whose stories brought to life the impact of preparations of the 1st World War had on the City. It is widely regarded as the City's biggest ever event, attracting one million people and bringing a ₤46m boost to the local economy.

The event has been made possible thanks to support from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Arts Council England.

Any businesses interested in sponsorship opportunities should email.

To keep up with the latest news by following Giant Spectacular on Facebook and Instagram, or visit the event's official website.  Plus you can also follow the story on Twitter via:- #LiverpoolGiants.