Imagineer Productions will bring West Midlands icon Lady Godiva to life as a 10 metre high puppet that pushes the boundaries of carnival puppetry to new levels.
Built from aluminium and carbon fibre, she will be a moving, breathing monument - a potent symbol of equality, fair play and justice. Godiva will be dressed for her journey into the 21st century in a coat crafted by local artists and communities, chronicling the West Midlands’ industrial and engineering heritage.
A spectacular performance will mark the ‘awakening’ of Lady Godiva. Powered by 50 cyclists, she will join 2,000 dancers, actors, aerialists, musicians, pyrotechnicians and carnivalists in a processional performance. On the last day of Coventry’s Godiva Festival in July 2012, Godiva will leave the city and journey to London. She will seek sanctuary overnight at various towns along the route who will each welcome her in their own, distinct way. Finally she will arrive in London, her journey completed in time for the opening of London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
See the shortlisted entries for this region and read about the judging panel
Imagineer Productions is an independent company that produce large-scale outdoor events, carnival and site specific theatre. Based in Coventry, the team have a wealth of creative arts experience including the revival of the Coventry Mystery Plays, the founding of Coventry Arts Alive and the national tour of Roald Dahl’s The Twits, all with the Belgrade Theatre. The team have revived and reimagined the Coventry Carnival (now called the Godiva Carnival). Recent commissions include the Opening Ceremony to the International Children’s Games 2005, the official opening of the City’s Ricoh Arena with the Made in Coventry event in 2007, Celebrating Coventry, a cultural showcase to mark the city hosting the UK School’s Games in 2007 and a programme of events for the National Holocaust Memorial Day for 2009.