The Bike Trip
Martin Dockery
NY,U.S.A.
Martin Dockery
“In a breathtaking quest to uncover the nature of the psychedelic experience, a man journeys through San Francisco, India, and Switzerland, tapping into history’s very first acid trip by, amongst other things, renting a bike. 2009 FRIGID Audience Choice Award for “The Surprise.” Breakthrough Performer of the Year, soloNOVA Festival; Best Solo Performance, San Francisco Fringe; Best of Fest, Winnipeg Fringe; Best Original Work, London Fringe; Best in Venue, Orlando Fringe”
60min
The Kraine Theater,
Thu 2/25,10:30 PM,Sat 2/27,4:00 PM,Wed 3/03,6:00 PM,Fri 3/05,7:00 PM,Sun 3/07,2:30 PM
$16.00,$14.00
MARTIN DOCKERY is a frequent performer in New York’s storytelling scene, appearing on the stages of The Moth, Speakeasy, The Liar Show, Told, Risk!, LES Stories, Sideshow Goshko, and many others. He’s developed two theatrical monologues with director Jean-Michele Gregory, and performed them to critical acclaim throughout 2009. The first, Wanderlust, enjoyed sold-out runs in San Francisco, Westchester County, New York City, Orlando, London, Toronto, & Winnipeg. The Surprise, which The New York Times called “deftly constucted” and “truly vivid,” had success with an extended run in New York City and a sold-out series in San Francisco. Both the shows have won awards at every festival in which they were performed, included being named terraNOVA’s ‘2009 Breakthrough Performer of the Year.’ In the summer of 2008, he performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with The Liar Show, which The Scotsman gave 4 stars. In 2010, he’ll continue to tour with Wanderlust in Fresno, Saskatoon, Edmonton, & Vancouver, as well as debuting a new monologue entitled The Bike Trip at New York’s The FRIGID Festival. From there he’ll bring the show to Orlando & London. His stories have made him a seven-time finalist in The Moth’s bi-annual Grandslam Storytelling Championship. Also, he was a co-creator of the play C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, which ran on Broadway as The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His play Oh, That Wily Snake! is part of a McGraw-Hill anthology textbook on literature, and The New York Times wrote that it “flashes with humor and insight.” Of another play, a lonely monkeyhouse, Backstage West wrote that it was “deliciously enjoyable,” while L.A. Weekly added that it was “compelling . . . entertaining . . . divinely inspired.” He received his B.A. in English from Kenyon College and his M.F.A. in playwriting from Columbia University.
Like a manic Spalding Gray, Martin. Dockery is a consummate, talented and engaging storyteller with a distinctive dramatic style.
That said, having seen, and enjoyed immensely, “The Surprise” last year, “The Bike Trip” did not live up to our expectations. His delivery was all at a fever pitch with virtually no respite from the frenetic, which we found alternately exhausting and distracting. We found ourselves thinking about his performance rather than being able to appreciate – and enjoy – the work as a whole.
This meandering tale could have used some sharp editing, especially since it ran almost 70 minutes long, causing us, and several others in the audience, to miss our next show. For a performer of Mr. Dockery’s professionalism and experience, and one who knows the 60-minute limit of Frigid New York, this was inexcusable.