By Peter Maddern
Two mates come together for a jog. Steve (Ross Vosvotekas) and Mark (Adam Cirillo) are twenty or thirty somethings who still recall their mutually shared good times spiced up with harmless rivalries as they pound out the miles.
Written by Edoardo Erba and translated by Colin Teevan, the title Marathon draws upon the Greek legend of Pheidippides, the warrior, who ran from Marathon to Athens to advise of the news of a military victory against the Persians. (The distance of this run is what sets in stone the current day ‘marathon’ run.)
And while this production runs less than half the time the best in the world can pound out the 42kms of such an challange, the mere feat of sustaining a jog on stage like both these characters do for that length of time is enough to get you panting. It is quite a performance especially when you consider both actors at various times need to feign over-panting and exhaustion whilst keeping the story and their underlying breathing going. It was obvious that both Vosvotekas and Cirillo had shed the kilos in preparing for this season.
But the physical side is not the only highlight. Adam Cirillo dominates in drawing upon a wide arrange of emotions and states, from the mad to the humourous as he punches along and up and down the floorboards. He has perhaps an underappreciated ability to convey a character but the opportunity here, with such a sustained presence, allows all to gain a better sense of his capabilities.
Kryztoff Rating 3.5K
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