La Machine (production company)
| Company type | Production company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Theatre, Mechanical art |
| Founded | early 1990s |
| Founder | François Delarozière (Artistic Director) |
| Headquarters | Nantes , France |
Key people | François Delarozière (Artistic Director) |
| Products | Theatrical machinery, permanent exhibits, theatrical performances |
| Website | www |
La Machine is a production company from France, headquartered in Nantes, widely recognized for creating La Princesse, an imposing 50-foot mechanical spider constructed in Nantes.
Background
Established during the early 1990s, this collective comprises artists, designers, fabricators, and technicians. It is directed by François Delarozière, who serves as Artistic Director and is the mastermind behind La Princesse. The organization focuses on designing theatrical machinery, permanent exhibits, and innovative theatrical performances.
Le Manège d'Andrea
Le Manège d'Andrea is an artistic carousel showcasing unique figures such as a stag beetle, blowfish, sea monster, ocean liner, and biplane. These are crafted from materials including steel, wood, and copper.
Symphonie Mécanique
This project combined live classical music with industrial machinery, featuring compositions by Dominique Malan.
Le Grand Répertoire
A traveling exhibition of public mechanical installations that toured cities like Nantes, Calais, Antwerp, Toulouse, Marseille, and Paris in 2006, drawing an audience exceeding 50,000 visitors.
Les Machines de l'Île
Situated in a repurposed shipyard along the Loire river in Nantes, this venue displays creations such as Le Grand Éléphant. It also includes attractions like Le Carrousel du Monde Marins (inaugurated in 2012) and La Galerie des Machines, where new works are presented and refined with audience interaction.
Le Manège Carré Sénart
This square-shaped carousel featuring insect and buffalo sculptures premiered near Paris; it subsequently toured to Madrid in late 2008 and St Petersburg in 2009.
La Princesse
The impressive 60-foot mechanical spider known as La Princesse was exhibited in Liverpool as part of the city's 2008 European Capital of Culture celebrations. Operated by a team of twelve controlling eight legs and various movements, it performed at notable sites including St George's Hall and Albert Dock. Despite challenging weather conditions, the event attracted around 150,000 attendees over the weekend and received extensive international media attention. The production's cost was £1.8 million, which sparked some criticism.
See also
- Royal de Luxe – a French street theatre company specializing in large-scale mechanical puppetry