Three mechanical elephants turn Taipei streets into a theater despite the rain

Three nearly five-meter mechanical elephants moved through Taipei's Shilin district on Saturday night, opening the 2026 Taipei Arts Festival with Compagnie Oposito's large-scale outdoor production "The Elephants Are Coming...".

At 7:14 p.m., horns and heavy drumbeats announced the procession. More than 100 French and Taiwanese performers accompanied the elephants as they advanced from Jihe Road toward the Taipei Performing Arts Center. Large crowds, including international visitors and representatives from 10 countries, followed along the route.

The procession shifted formations as it moved through the streets. Performers in traditional Breton clothing and others carrying colorful umbrellas leaned toward children along the way, while drummers drove the crowd forward. Residents watched from their windows, and many spectators recorded the event on phones and cameras.

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This is a seemingly impossible band to bring together, but street theater, through listening, allows each side to retain its own cultural DNA while creating harmonious sounds under Taipei's night sky.

Rain had fallen before the performance, but eased by the start. Some spectators closed their umbrellas while others continued following under them. The elephants had already attracted attention during a rehearsal the previous night, when images and videos appeared on social media and prompted people to organize visits to the show.

The production centers on the idea of migration and was created through cross-border collaboration. Taiwanese groups Shen Sheng Theater and Hsuan Yu Ensemble spent four intensive days rehearsing with the French troupe. The route combined classical music, Breton folk melodies and street percussion before ending with a concert at the arts center. Artistic director Jean-Raymond Jacob said the apparently impossible combination of performers could create harmony by listening while preserving each culture's identity. The elephants reached the plaza beneath cascades of fireworks. Another performance was scheduled for Sunday at 7:14 p.m.

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The city and the people who live here are the true core of this performance.