part 2 of the theater piece: (the play)
The Ten-Thousand-Mile Race
a performance, a train ride, an endurance piece, a video, a sculpture, a nightmare, 1902/2008
This performance is working with the 30 page long chapter 5 "The Ten-Thousand-Mile Race" by Alfred Jarry taken from the book The Supermale. (1902)
5 bicyclists standing in a formation as descirbed in the book.
they are sitting on the bicycles, bicycling.. (the bikes are fixed on stands that allow normal bicycle be used as work out machines)
there is also an extra bicyclist: like the winner in the 10.000 miles race (assumed to be André Marcueil - the person who sets up all these extravaganzas and walks over dead bodies: a bicyclist dies during the race but hte race continues; a woman is found dead in Marceuil garden, killed by an overdoese of sex - basicallly raped to death -- this sinister ending is never attributed to the "Indian" or Marcueil but strongly associated since that was Marcueils "thing".
In the book 5 bicyclists are forced into a bicycle machine that competes against a train, from the Japanese sea to Paris. The bicyclist crew surpasses the train, beats the train but the actual winner is an indivdual that remains ingognito but the reader understands that it is hte main protagonist, the adventurist André Marcueil.
The reading will be presented between the six pedaling bicyclists in an alternate way.
On an opposite screen will be images from the video/filming produced on a train trip between VLADIVODSTOCK and PARIS, mostly using the TransSerberian Railway - a project that was only started when Jarry wrote his text. l the 10 000 miles trip takes alone approx. 12 days and constitutes an endurance piece since every hour has to filmed by video.something that can only be guaranteed with the help of a second person. I will flim mostly out of the window but also passengers and stuff happening on the train.
Apart from the reading presented by the 6 bicyclists and the film screening there will be no other action - underscoring the minimal aspect of the performance.
This trip wil be SPONSORED BY PERPETUAL MOTION FOOD - a banner on the stage (hanging) will indicate this message and advertisment.
estimated length of the performance: 40 minuteS
WE ARE SOLLICITATING SOME FAMOUS BICYCLE MAKERS TO SPONSOR US WIHT THIS
AS WELL AS THE CITY OF PARIS FOR THEIR FANCY VELOLIBS.. TO BE USED... (OR GIVEN TO US OR RENTED BY US)
THE TEXT IS READ IN A WAY THAT THE CHANGES (WHO READS) ARE MECHANICAL AND CHANGE EVERY OTHER LINE... IN ORDER TO RECREATE THE MECHANICS OF THE RACE... AND THE TRAIN.
THE ACTORS ARE DOING IT
ALSO.. OPPPOSITE TO MY DRAWING.. THE 5 BICYCLISTS ARE SEATED ONE AFTER THE OTHER
THE FILM IS IN PREPARATION. THE TRIP IN PREPARATION TO BE MADE IN JANUARY 2008