Sophie Laslett

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The Sultan's Elephant

2006

n May 2006, the French street theatre company Royal de Luxe brought central London to a standstill with The Sultan’s Elephant. Commissioned to mark the centenary of Jules Verne’s death and produced by the arts charity Artichoke, the four-day event remains the largest piece of free public theatre ever staged in the capital, drawing an estimated one million spectators.

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The narrative-driven performance transformed major thoroughfares—including Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly, and Horse Guards Parade—into an open-air stage for two monumental engineering creations: an 18-foot giant marionette girl and a 42-tonne mechanical elephant operated by a team of 22 hydraulic puppeteers.

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

As the officially commissioned photographer for Artichoke, my brief was to document the entire scope of the event. These images focus on capturing both the immense scale of the physical structures against London’s historic landmarks, and the candid, intimate reactions within the crowds as the performance unfolded across the city.

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

Roundhouse London photography (2007-2010): A documentary and portrait series capturing the historic architecture and the creative energy of the Roundhouse Studios.

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

It was a massive physical challenge to shoot. I spent three days running all over London chasing the elephant and the giant girl, keeping pace with them through both pouring rain and bright sunshine to capture every moment.

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The event was a major turning point for public art in the UK. Before 2006, central London's historic streets were rarely closed for anything other than state events, protests, or sports. It took Artichoke seven years of planning and negotiations to prove that a major city could be paused purely for a creative performance. By successfully filling the capital with wonder, The Sultan’s Elephant changed how city officials viewed public spaces and paved the way for future large-scale cultural events across the country.

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

The Sultan's Elephant street theatre event in London

All images © 2026 Sophie Laslett. For archive usage, licensing, or print inquiries, please contact slaslett@hotmail.com.