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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Huge mechanical spider 'wakes up' | Huge mechanical spider 'wakes up' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A 50ft (15m) high mechanical spider which is set to stalk the streets of Liverpool has come to life. | |
| About 5,000 people braved the rain to watch La Princesse come out of "hibernation" ahead of her exploration of the city over the next three days. | |
| The creature was operated by French artistic company La Machine as she walked outside the city's arena at King's Dock on Friday morning. | |
| The £1.5m street theatre production is part of the Capital of Culture events. | The £1.5m street theatre production is part of the Capital of Culture events. |
| La Princesse was unveiled to the public on Wednesday morning, hanging from a redundant office block next to Lime Street railway station. | La Princesse was unveiled to the public on Wednesday morning, hanging from a redundant office block next to Lime Street railway station. |
| She was woken in a hail of fireworks and smoke at 1130 BST on Friday, before striding up and down in front of the arena in front of the cheering crowd. | She was woken in a hail of fireworks and smoke at 1130 BST on Friday, before striding up and down in front of the arena in front of the cheering crowd. |
| At £1.5m I think its actually cheaper than Macca and it has got us on the front of the South China Morning Post Phil Redmond, Liverpool Culture Company | At £1.5m I think its actually cheaper than Macca and it has got us on the front of the South China Morning Post Phil Redmond, Liverpool Culture Company |
| French "scientists" - La Machine's street theatre artists - attempted to subdue her with water and snow against a backdrop of music from musicians on top of 16 cherry pickers. | French "scientists" - La Machine's street theatre artists - attempted to subdue her with water and snow against a backdrop of music from musicians on top of 16 cherry pickers. |
| Liverpool culture company artistic director Phil Redmond hailed the opening part of the show as "fantastic". | Liverpool culture company artistic director Phil Redmond hailed the opening part of the show as "fantastic". |
| "When you are planning this - and 350 people have been working for a year on this thing - you expect it to go well but you still keep your fingers crossed." | "When you are planning this - and 350 people have been working for a year on this thing - you expect it to go well but you still keep your fingers crossed." |
| Mr Redmond also dismissed criticism of the cost of the five-day spectacle, which he said was in the region of £1.5m. | Mr Redmond also dismissed criticism of the cost of the five-day spectacle, which he said was in the region of £1.5m. |
| "At £1.5m I think it's actually cheaper than Macca and it has got us on the front of the South China Morning Post. So it's good value for money." | "At £1.5m I think it's actually cheaper than Macca and it has got us on the front of the South China Morning Post. So it's good value for money." |
| Helen Marriage, of show producers Artichoke, said the money spent on the production was generating far more cash for the city as a whole. | Helen Marriage, of show producers Artichoke, said the money spent on the production was generating far more cash for the city as a whole. |
| Travel warning | Travel warning |
| "We ourselves have hotel bills of over £100,000, which is money going straight back into the local economy. | "We ourselves have hotel bills of over £100,000, which is money going straight back into the local economy. |
| "We're employing lots of local people as crane drivers, cherry picker drivers - the benefit back to the city is enormous." | "We're employing lots of local people as crane drivers, cherry picker drivers - the benefit back to the city is enormous." |
| After entertaining crowds at King's Dock, the 37-tonne beast will begin exploring the city's landmarks on Friday evening. | After entertaining crowds at King's Dock, the 37-tonne beast will begin exploring the city's landmarks on Friday evening. |
| She will continue popping up at various landmarks around the city over the weekend, culminating in what organisers say will be a spectacular finish on Sunday evening. | She will continue popping up at various landmarks around the city over the weekend, culminating in what organisers say will be a spectacular finish on Sunday evening. |
| Anyone travelling to Liverpool to catch a glimpse of La Princesse is urged to use public transport. | Anyone travelling to Liverpool to catch a glimpse of La Princesse is urged to use public transport. |
| Merseytravel said more ferries would be running and Merseyrail trains would be "strengthened" with extra carriages. | Merseytravel said more ferries would be running and Merseyrail trains would be "strengthened" with extra carriages. |
| The Queensway Tunnel will also be closed to traffic from 0600 BST on Sunday until 0630 BST on Monday. | The Queensway Tunnel will also be closed to traffic from 0600 BST on Sunday until 0630 BST on Monday. |
| The spider is made out of steel and poplar wood and is operated by up to 12 people strapped to her frame. | |
| The creature was built in Nantes before being shipped to Merseyside to be assembled in a secret location. | The creature was built in Nantes before being shipped to Merseyside to be assembled in a secret location. |
| In May 2006, the company's Sultan's Elephant drew an estimated one million people to the streets of London. | In May 2006, the company's Sultan's Elephant drew an estimated one million people to the streets of London. |