The Martlet

Dinosaurs are roaming the planet once again and they managed to migrate to Victoria’s Save-On Foods Memorial Centre, May 6 to 10, wowing spectators of all ages with the theatrics of a phenomenal new-age stage production worthy of claiming the title of Greatest Show on Earth — and rightly so since the production’s overall price tag weighs in at a lofty $20 million.

“Walking with Dinosaurs,” touted as a state-of-the-art experience in interactive edutainment, is a ground-shaking presentation brought to life by The Creature Production Company in association with BBC Worldwide, and is based on the broadcaster’s award-winning television series of the same name.

Audiences are transported in time as they embark on a 200-million-year prehistoric journey spanning the immersion of the first known Lizard Kings of the Triassic period (roughly 230 million years ago) through the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, which culminated in their reign-ending extinction caused by the impact of a massive meteor, creating what is now known as the Gulf of Mexico (approximately 65 million years ago).

Accompanied by a moving symphonic score, a stage actor assumes the narrative role of Huxley, a fictitious paleontologist tour guide, expounding lessons in evolution, entomology, biology, botany, geography and meteorological climate change. He outlines interactive scenarios and provides personalities for each of the dinosaurs.

In all, 15 reptilian models representing 10 different species take turns traversing the panoramic stage set evoking fear, respect and compassion. As the drama unfolds, viewers attitudes seem to shift from apprehension to eager anticipation. What initially begins as the sheer silence of collective awe quickly gives way to a thunderous return of roars through cheers and applause.

Although all are enthralling, some of the creations are more believably lifelike than others. Amongst the most impressive and entertaining are: Stegosaurus standing in at six by 11 metres, two formidable Torosauruses jostling for alpha dominance and possess the largest skull-type of any dinos known to date and, of course, a triad of Uhtaraptors looking particularly sinister as they scan the crowd for potential dinner.

By scale, the grandest members of the cast are a peaceful pair of herbivorous Brachiosaurs — a curious adolescent measuring nine by 15 metres who becomes cornered by a carnivorous Allosaurus, and its adult rescuer, towering in at 11 metres tall by 17 long. But of course everyone’s favourite A-list apex predator, Tyrannosaurus-rex, with a roar so terrifying that it easily matches its voracious bite, steals the show, especially the baby one whose all-too-cute puppyish antics brilliantly offsets its mother’s ferocity in what is most likely the production’s comical attempt to alleviate the fear factor she may have on the viewing children.

Although the confrontational battle scenes for survival and supremacy, at times, come across as somewhat reminiscent of those waged in old-school Godzilla flicks, they are much less campy and serve extremely well for the purposes of introducing and exiting the super-sized stars of the show.

It’s difficult to imagine the creature controllers aren’t having a blast operating them, and that is perhaps the most impressive element of the entire production — the manner in which these beasties are brought to life.

The robo-reptiles are made ultra realistic through cutting-edge animatronics, along with the advent of other special technologies developed especially for the production.

For the most colossal of creatures, the physiology consists of a circulatory system comprised of 132 metres of hydraulic hosing and over 1,000 metres of cabling for each body. Twelve truck batteries serve as the heart, while 24 microprocessors and 15 hydraulic rams (powered by six motors each) encased in 132 metres of foam and 296 metres of exterior skin fabric, maintain the creature’s musculature movements.

Each large lizard weighs in at roughly 1.6 tonnes — the equivalent to a standard-sized family car, and requires an operating team of three to enliven it. Two puppeteers work in tandem, one controls head and tail motions, as another manipulates mouth and eye movements while triggering the roars. A driver is also required to navigate forward and backward momentum from within a small camouflaged cart, known as a stabilizing plate, located directly beneath the belly of the beasts (which remarkably runs on just six rollerblade wheels).

For added excitement, there are five smaller full-bodied single-person operated “suit” dinos that have much greater freedom of mobility, and with a little suspension of disbelief, the visibility of the performer’s legs, and even the propulsion plates situated underneath the enormous ones, are barely noticeable.

The entire event unfolds in two acts, running just over an hour and a half, all the while staying as true as possible to the most current and accurate scientific conjecture available. There is a brief intermission, which not only gives the creature choreographers a break, but also doubles as a bit of a cash grab opportunity as spectators flock to the souvenir stand for all manner of prehistoric paraphernalia from posters, stickers and T-shirts, to stuffed animals, strap-on tails and saurus slippers.

The size and scope of “the arena spectacular” is indeed epic. A total production crew of 65 is responsible for everything from dinosaur control to the shifting set pieces, inflating props, rigging, engineering and special effects, video imagery, smoke, dry ice and all the extraordinary large-scale lighting and sound elements. Walking with Dinosaurs is to be commended for not only its entirely stunning visual splendor, but also for its highly entertaining and effective approach to educating audiences.

It is one adventure guaranteed to leave an indelible impression on any spectator. Not to mention the stars of the show truly prove that dinosaurs were, and will forever be, kick-ass cool.