Overview
Credits
Reviews and audience feedback
Future Plans
Show History
The team
Downloads
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The Race |
One man is on a collision course with his future, sprinting to the most important moment of his life. But will he be ready?
Numbed by the ordinary world, an extraordinary world is upon him. How can a man prepare to meet his first child? Something so beautiful and yet so shocking. What will he feel the moment he sees his child’s eyes?
Visually stunning and astoundingly athletic, barely pausing for breath this show chronicles a man trying to reconnect his feelings and truly live. The Race, the second production by this new and highly creative British company, is a whirl of masterful movement, vivid colour and emotive music.
TOTAL THEATRE AWARD WINNERS 2005
Co-commissioned by BAC, Warwick Arts Centre, and South Hill Park, Bracknell.
Supported by Komedia, Brighton and the London International Mime Festival.
Developed at the National Theatre Studio. Funded by Arts Council England.
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Directors
Amit Lahav and Al Nedjari
Original performers and devisors
Sachi Kimura, James Flynn, Amit Lahav, Katharine Markee, Al Nedjari
Past performers
Natalie Ayton
Current performers
James Flynn, Delphine Gaborit, Amit Lahav, Katharine Markee, Al Nedjari
Original technical team
Lighting Designer
Kristina Hjelm
Costume Designer
Ellan Parry
Prop designer
Torben Schact
Rigging consultant
Jamie Ogilvie
Rehearsal assistant and stage manager
Liam Jarvis
Stage Manager
Joseph White
Current technical team
Production Manager
Stuart Heyes
Technical and Company Manager
Rachel Bowen
With thanks to:
Luis Santiago, George Lamb, Teo-Wa Vuong, Dave Price, Helen Bagett, Will Gaines,
Mishka Henna, Joe Coello, Laura Cubbitt, Sachi Kimura and Kim Voisey-Youldon for their work
on the first phase of the project, and Elisa Laghi for her work on the second
phase.
Photography
Sheila Burnett, Neil Hanna, Simon Alexander
Press
Total Theatre Award Winners 2005
"The swell of physical energy is explosive" The Independent on Sunday
"It is good, it really is very good indeed, and it is a physical as theatre can possibly be without becoming dance. A bewilderingly inventive young company. Tantalisingly raw new theatre." Time Out Critics Choice
"They realise the twin themes of birth or re-birth, and survival with plenty of physical zip. Packed with novel ideas and a bouncy energy." The Times
" **** wondrous theatre" Metro
The production is a bracing reminder that you don't need a Broadway budget to surprise the eye and tickle the funny bone with stage craft. New York Times
Invigorating and infectious dance numbers and comic bits dazzle with verve and precision. The Race is fast and fun; you can't take your eyes off it. Time Out, New York
Audience Feedback
You’re probably used to hearing this but it was pretty damn funky. You could definitely see the level of focus between the actors.
This is the most exciting, daring, dangerous piece of Scratch theatre I have seen.
Like pieces of a puzzle I was struggling to put together. It was energetic and inspiring.
It was very powerful, sad at times and very meaningful.
It was amazing – the whole experience. My husband’s glad he came
– this is a miracle!
I loved the last piece (Taylor’s Dummies) and this one reinforced my adoration of Gecko and what physical theatre can be.
Absolutely phenomenal athleticism and stunning visual imagery. Tearjerking soundscape.
The inventiveness! I saw new ideas tonight, which (being a regular theatre goer) I don’t see often.
It was like this exhausting journey that had finally come to an end. I’m shaking and totally buzzing off the whole experience.
Adrenaline rush – and made me want to have another baby!
Made me realise I’d made the right decision in quitting corporate life!
This show is available for touring. For more information email info@fueltheatre.com
2007
May: national tour to Leeds, Norwich and Winchester
2006
May/June: 3 week Off-Broadway run at 59E59 as part of Brits Off-Broadway
October/November: national and international tour to Bedford, Bristol, Cambridge, Dieppe and Ipswich
2005
August: Aurora Nova @ St Stephen's, as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
July: previews at BAC, London
January/February: National tour including South Hill Park, Bracknell, BAC,
London, Komedia, Brighton and Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry.
2004
December: Development period at the National
Theatre Studio
August: 2 week development period at BAC
January: scratch performances in the London International Mime Festival at
BAC
For biographies of Amit Lahav and Allel Nedjari, see Gecko's biog page.
James Flynn – performer/devisor
Since training in dance theatre at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance,
James has worked as a performer for over 12 years. Amongst others, he has
performed and taught with Candoco, Random Dance, Yolande Snaith Theatredance,
Fin Walker, Earthfall, Ludus, Bedlam, Livebait and Vincent Dance Theatre.
He has also choreographed numerous dance theatre pieces including, Short and
Stout; a site specific show at the Bramah Tea Shop and more recently My name
is…; a solo work about the dizzying effects of freedom and choice, as
part of the men only season for Merseyside Dance Initiative. This is his second
project with Gecko, having joined the Taylor’s Dummies company in September
2004.
Delphine Gaborit – performer
Delphine trained at the Conservatoire National de Region de Nantes where she was awarded an ‘Examen d’Aptitude Technique’ in Contemporary Dance. She then moved to London and graduated from Laban with a B.A. (Hons) in Dance Theatre. For the past four years, she has worked as a freelance dancer with various companies such as Retina Dance Company, Bare Bones Company, Carol Brown Dances, Jasmin Vardimon Dance Company, Frantic Assembly, Lost Dog, Hofesh Shechter. She is a founder member of the Bonachela Dance Company. Delphine featured in ‘There Will Be Something Later’, the winning Dance Film Academy film for BBC4 in 2005, and has just shot a dance film installation directed by Heather Eddington, of State of Flux Dancefilm Company. Delphine joined Gecko in 2006 and will tour with the company’s second production, The Race in May 2007
Katharine Markee – performer/devisor
After completing a B.A. Hons. in Expressive Arts,
Katharine received a partial scholarship to continue her training at the Northern
School Of Contemporary Dance. She has worked as a choreographer / director
and performer since graduating in 1992. As co-founder of Scrannidge Deputy
Head Dance Theatre Company with Jane Oliver she co-choreographed / devised
original works which toured nationally and internationally. Katharine has
also worked with CandoCo Dance Company, Emilyn Claid, Charlotte Hacker, Company
Pyke and Suzanne Redford Productions. She has recently completed a national
tour of her dance theatre solo Must Try Harder. Katharine also has extensive
experience in film production and camera operation and has choreographed /
directed several short dance films and documentaries, including, State Of
Grace, It’s Tricky, The Art Of Boredom and Daniel. She has had screenings
at The South Bank Centre, London, The Place Theatre, London and SouthEast
Dance, Brighton.
To download high resolution images, a press and marketing pack, or a technical specification click here. NB the show is site specific and technical requirements will change for each venue. Please use the tech spec as a guideline only.
