Take a journey through the Jurassic at Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons
On May 25, a 10-metre-long Tyrannosaurus rex will wow the crowd at Dinosaur World Live presented by Arts Commons Presents
On May 25, a dazzling mix of science, theatre and largerthan-life puppet mastery will transport the audience at Arts Commons to a landscape of Jurassic giants.
The international hit show, Dinosaur World Live, features the unique mix of skills of British puppet designer Max Humphries, who brings a variety of dinosaurs to life — including a 10-metre-long T-rex.
“They roar, and they do all sorts of things: there are eggs that hatch and the dinosaurs blink and a mouth can open and close,” says Humphries. “For me, the most important thing is the movement. You can put a puppet on stage and it might look beautiful in photos, but if it moves ugly, it’s going to look ugly at the end of the day.”
Like many young boys, Humphries grew up obsessed with dinosaurs — a fascination stoked by his artist father, whose illustration work included a detailed paleontology book. Humphries went on to specialize in designing puppets of all forms, bringing vivid characters to life for everything from Cirque du Soleil to Madagascar the Musical.
Dinosaur World Live, which won Britain’s prestigious Olivier Award for Best Family Show this year, became one of his biggest challenges — the show calling for not just lifelike, wellknown Jurassic giants like the T-rex and triceratops, but the lesser-known segnosaurus and giraffatitan as well.
“None of our puppets have any electrics, remote controls or animatronics, because they often don’t work,” Humphries says. “So, I like to keep everything very mechanical — it’s all cogs and gears, brake cables and bicycle parts.”
Adding to the epic task, the giant puppets need to be light enough for the human puppeteers to be able to operate them. Humphries builds them from the inside-out, using an aluminum skeleton, then adding a layer of muscle made of super-lightweight foam.
The result is stunningly realistic — of course, some are scaled to smaller sizes in this family-friendly show. One of Humphries’ favourites is laid-back Beatrice the baby triceratops. “It was very much based on rescued sloths,” he reveals.
Just as important as that intricate engineering of the puppets is the storyline itself. The show centres on Miranda, the daughter of paleontologists, who grew up surrounded by dinosaurs on a far-away island. For the show, Miranda has brought her prehistoric pals here for a visit.
“It’s a beautiful way to get across information in a way that people will remember,” Humphries says. “Children, especially, love that kind of grip of a story and getting into the nuance of it. This show is a mix of education and spectacle — you can get both things at once.”
The sight of these seemingly living, breathing giants inhabiting Calgary’s Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons, brought to Calgary by Arts Commons’ programming arm, Arts Commons Presents, is one that audiences won’t soon forget.
“The scale of these dinosaurs is mesmerizing,” says Arts Commons vicepresident of programming, Sarah Garton Stanley. “And while the smaller puppets are incredible and full of life, it is the T-rex that has me holding my breath in anticipation. It is going to appeal to the kid in all of us!”
Suitable for children ages 3 and up, visit artscommons.ca/dinos to learn more and buy tickets, starting at $39. Use promo code ROARHERALD for 25 per cent off.