Monsters Walk Among Us

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Are you ready to experience the amazement that comes from being in the presence of larger than life, mechanical robots? To feel the fiery breath of a horse-dragon hybrid, or walk alongside a giant eight-legged robot capable of spewing water from its abdomen? Well, thanks to French production company, La Machine, this nature of whimsical creatures will be taking to the streets of Ottawa to put on an incredible show this coming weekend.

La Machine has created a captivating narrative for the monsters to follow as they make their way around the city throughout the course of the weekend. The story is titled “The Spirit of the Dragon-Horse, With Stolen Wings” which introduces us to the story in which Kumo, the giant spider, stole the wings of Long Ma, the horse-dragon hybrid, and robbed his ‘sacred temple.’ Now, Long Ma must travel around the world in order to find his missing belongings – some of which have been spotted outside of the Supreme Court of Canada and at LeBreton Flats.

Tonight, Kumo will awaken in Ottawa at the National Gallery of Canada. Is it a coincidence that this is also the location at which Maman, the large, spider sculpture, is known to be found in Ottawa? Rumor has it that our LRT construction has disturbed Kumo in her resting place, and as a result she is going to emerge into the streets of Ottawa. Though Kumo is a robot, spectators will not be able to help but feel chills up their spines when they see her walking around the city. Thanks to the realistic way she carries herself from location to location, viewers will find reality being suspended and have themselves believing that there are truly monsters walking throughout the capital city.

But not to worry, Long Ma will be here so save us as his job is said to be to protect and watch over humanity. He will make his debut in Ottawa on Friday morning at City Hall to show us his power and embark on his journey to recover his missing belongings and perhaps even battle Kumo while he searches the city. There are ‘static scenes’ set to be performed on Saturday and Sunday night, in which both Kumo and Long Ma will be at the same location which sound like an experiences not to be missed!

Though the city is exceptionally excited to be able to host an incredible, four-day spectacle like this, it is important to acknowledge that there will be major road closures downtown over the weekend and that drivers should plan their travels accordingly. Because the giant creatures will be walking through the streets, with large audience closely following them, they will be taking up multiple roads in order to accommodate the large crowds. Traffic impact information and maps can be found here courtesy of the City of Ottawa as all drivers are being encouraged to be aware of the closures.