In 2006, Artichoke Productions mounted the biggest piece of free theatre ever seen in London, set against the city’s magnificent landmarks.
Created by French theatrical magicians, Royal de Luxe, The Sultan’s Elephant featured a vast, time-travelling mechanical elephant, taller than Admiralty Arch and 42 tonnes in weight, and a giant girl, twenty feet high.
Thousands of delighted Londoners and visitors followed the show from the moment when a rocket shell was discovered in Waterloo Place one Thursday morning, to the spectacular finale the following Sunday afternoon.
Artichoke invited Matthew to work carte blanche, photographing both behind the scenes and during performances.
See the photographs here.