MARCO
by Upstarttheatre, dance
"I made a decision To forget about the boy growing inside her To fly with the gods Like Marco Pantani in the mountains. This is my church."
about the production
As a child, he watched his father watching Marco win the Tour de France. Now, on the threshold of becoming a father himself, he will rise and fall in his hero's footsteps. Marco is an original piece of dance-theatre which follows the pilgrimage of a super-fan as he tells the epic story of his childhood hero, the cycling champion and drug cheat, Marco Pantani. Bringing together striking images, re-enactment, endurance, death and birth, Marco is an obsessively physical solo show about being the best.
about the artist
Upstart exists to provoke honest, playful and inspiring conversations about the biggest challenges which face our society. We use theatre to create connections within and between communities, both in the UK and around the world, and to bring previously unheard voices into the mainstream. Previous productions include Phone Home (Shoreditch Town Hall), The Last Ones (Jermyn Street Theatre), Silent Planet (Finborough), The Situation Room (Hull Truck and UK tour), The Maddening Rain (international tour and Soho Theatre). Upstart runs the annual DARE Festival at Shoreditch Town Hall, where we are an associate company.
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stage dimensions
width: 6 metres
height: 4 metres
depth: 5 metres
Dance floor; venue to provide operator if possible
" Contemporary theatre, physical theatre and dance audiences
" Cyclists, especially those interested in road cycling - check online for road cycling clubs near your venue
" New parents, especially fathers, and people thinking about becoming parents
" Sports fans
"I loved this show - it delves deep into how we are compelled to compete, in all walks of life. It's a powerful story, and one which, through the cycling theme, genuinely brought new audiences into ARC. Hearing them chat about the show in such positive - and searching - terms afterwards was fascinating."
"Jones…is fantastic throughout. He's engaging and funny, physically powerful and precise… an impressive performer who enraptures the audience."
"Fantastic performance...gave it his all"
We have worked with a BSL interpreter for previous performances and can offer this to venues at cost.
Simon is developing an engagement project for Spring 2018 in which he will meet cycling groups around the country, go on rides with them, and interview them to create a podcast about sport, heroism and masculinity. Upstart is keen to work with venues to identify cycling groups with whom to collaborate, who will then be encouraged to form a core audience for the touring production of Marco. Simon is available to run workshops on physical theatre and autobiographical devising, participate in post-performance discussions and other engagement activities. Please ask for costs/details.
We are open to negotiation, but our ideal scenario would be a £1,000 fee per performance
