Mysterious rumblings have started deep under downtown Ottawa, claim organizers of one of the city’s signature events tied to Canada 150.
The first hint, they say, was the opening of a giant sinkhole along a section of Rideau Street last year — which the city blamed on everything from leaking pipes to geology.
Then, crews digging tunnels for Ottawa’s new light rail transit system apparently started uncovering mysterious objects underground. Bones, eggs and even webbing.
According to the creative minds behind French production company La Machine, the signs are unmistakable.
There’s a great battle on the horizon, and on July 27, Ottawans and visitors to the national capital will get their first glimpse of the ancient rivals: a giant female spider called Kumo and the legendary fire-belching horse/dragon, Long Ma.
The backstory is your basic tale of good versus evil. As Long Ma slept, it goes, Kumo stole his wings and his “sacred temple,” leaving the dragon powerless. Fleeing to Ottawa, Kumo burrowed deep underground and hid the temple, remaining dormant until the LRT construction started causing too much commotion.
Now, she’s been forced out of hiding, and Long Ma is coming to retrieve his property.
As the story unfolds over four days, the two giants will roam the city’s downtown core, leading up to a final confrontation on the Sunday evening.
Precise details of their paths are being kept a closely guarded secret, but Kumo’s initial appearance should happen around 8 p.m. on July 27 somewhere near the National Gallery of Canada.
According to Ottawa 2017 executive director Guy Laflamme, keeping the routes a secret is necessary to ensure that the spectacle unfolds “organically.” He has been working with La Machine’s artistic director, François Delarozière, for years to bring their vision to life.
“This is not a parade, this is monumental street theatre,” Laflamme explained.
“We want people to embrace it … so you all have to become kids again, look at it through children’s eyes.”
Laflamme says he doesn’t want to see people just lining up on the sidewalk to watch the dragon or spider go by. Instead, the public should feel that they are caught up in the saga, and in the midst of “a large playground” that spans the downtown from the Byward Market to the War Museum.
Logistical challenges
That playground will come at a cost for motorists, transit users and anyone else not getting around on foot, however.
The four-day, $3.5-million event will mean extensive, ever-changing road closures downtown. They are subject to change even at the last minute, and transit service is also expected to be affected.
A full list of closures and accompanying maps are already available on the city’s website, and people are being encouraged to allow extra time to get to their destinations. The city will also post updates on Twitter and on Facebook.
Laflamme said Mayor Jim Watson initially went a bit “wide-eyed” when he proposed the multi-day La Machine event, but the mayor and others quickly saw the potential for major international exposure.
“We want to get rid of this erroneous perception that Ottawa is a traditional, conservative city,” Laflamme said.
“By bringing this wild production, very audacious street theatre production, (it) fits perfectly in the goal of renewing the image of Ottawa.”
Organizers are expecting hundreds of thousands of people will see the machines during the four days, bringing millions of dollars in business to the downtown.
Spectators will be able to get extremely close to the combatants, with a circle of La Machine volunteers keeping people from stepping in front of, or under, the spider or the dragon.
The machines are 12-13 metres high and weigh around 40 tonnes each.
Rain won’t stop the performances, which is a bonus considering the wet summer so far in Ottawa. Only high winds, thunder and lightning have the potential to interrupt the epic battle.
For more information on La Machine, click here.
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