Fun Run
When the Greek messenger Pheidippides was sent to Athens to announce the Persian’s defeat in the battle of Marathon, he ran the entire distance without stopping, burst into the Athenian assembly delivered the news and died on the spot. Fun Run is his story.
Fun Run is not just an homage to Pheidippides, but a performance spectacle that pushes one man to the limits of his endurance. Artist Tristan Meecham runs a gruelling 42.2kms on a treadmill supported by massive visual effects, a booming soundtrack, a silky-voiced MC and hundreds of performers and athletes from the local community. Fun Run is a huge public event that really has it all – bouncing pom-poms, bulging muscles, cyclist’s calves and a flash mob that will have everyone moving.
Fun Run, Project Evaluation Commissioned by Arts Centre Melbourne
“And it was fun. What fun. You could hear it from blocks away. But what made this event so curiously subversive was the lack of cues that clued us in that it was Art. Countless passersby wondered what they were watching – a charity event? A corporate stunt? A sporting spectacle? It was all of these things, kind of, or parodies of each. It definitely involved the city in a truly remarkable way, and as the sun set and the runner entered the final leg of the race the atmosphere was electric among onlookers still none the wiser as to why they were even there. A gold medal affair” John Bailey, The Age Newspaper, Australia
“Aviator sunglasses and nipple pasties aren’t normal pieces of marathon running equipment but this performance succeeded in amalgamating durational performance practices of the 1970’s (while injecting them with humour), subversive gender antics, a critique of celebrity culture (his self-positioning as a rock star-like protagonist with a hero’s narrative ‘arc’ follows on the heels of marathon-running celebrities such as Oprah and P Diddy) and an examination (or was it pure celebration) of public spectacle (some 7000 people are estimated to have seem the CBD performance, the vast majority of whom would presumably not have known of the event beforehand)” Dylan Rainforth- Artlink Magazine Australia.
2020 Galway European Capital of Culture
Saturday 27 June, Salthill Park Galway City
Fun Run Creative Team: Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Willoh S. Weiland, Carmel Duffy, Chloe Greaves, Luke Smiles
Australian company All The Queens Men are bringing their spectacular community engagement project Fun Run to Galway in the summer of 2020. Preceded by months of preparation by local community groups large and small, Fun Run promises to be one amazing day involving thousands of participants showing off their extraordinary talents.
2018 Opening of the Taipei Arts Festival
Saturday 18 August at Taipei Zhongshan Hall Plaza
Fun Run Creative Team: Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Willoh S. Weiland, Carmel Duffy, Chloe Greaves, Luke Smiles
Fun Run Performers: Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Karolyn Keike, Timothy Harvey, Alex Hsiung, Wen-hao Chang, Lee Yun Chung, Yen Hua Chen, Vicent Lee
Community Collaborators; Long Teng Lion Dance Association, Ming Dao Primary School Diabolo Spinning Team, Taiwan Shih Hsin University Cheerleading Team, Lan Yang Samba Dance, Jinteng Electric-Techno Gods, T.S.D HIP HOP, X fitness, Ethereal, Jiuzhuang Folk Dance Group, Taiwan Candy Dance Group, Changhua Martial arts Association-Babuza Center, Huang Wen Chung X Montt.
Taipei Arts Festival Producers: Yinru Vivian Lo, Miriam Chen
2017 Arts Centre Melbourne
Project IV Betty Amsden Participation Program. Supported by VicHealth in association with Circus Oz.
Fun Run Creative Team: Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Willoh S. Weiland, Nick Roux, Chris More, Emily O’Brien, Alice Fleming, Chloe Greaves, Paul Lim,
Fun Run Performers: Eddie Perfect, Julian Crotti, Billy Parker, Julie Nguyen, Lerato Masiyane and Danzel Baker.
Community Collaborators: Aerodance Sports Aerobics, Ashwood School, Arts Centre Melbourne Accessible Music Program, BAM Allstars, Bannockburn Primary School, Base Strength Arena, Black Dragon Taekwondo and Fitness, Boylesque, Broadmeadows Special Developmental School, Bulleen Heights School, Cheer Factor All Stars, Chinese Performing Arts Development, First Friday Dance Club, DreamTyme All Stars, Fast Boys and Girls, FilYa, Frankston Special Developmental School, IJUBA Capoeira, Indigenous Hip Hop Projects, Limbs 2 Riddims, Lord of the Flies participants, Melbourne Bhangra Regiment, Mischa’s Boxing Central, Rossbourne School, Sacred Heart Catholic School, Sri Lankan Cultural Ensemble of Australia, Outer Urban Projects, Tama Tatau, The Fanatics, Thornbury Primary School, U-bounce Fitness.
Arts Centre Melbourne Producers: Emer Harrington, Patrick Cronin, Sally McPhee.
2017 Bleach Festival, Gold Coast
In association with Surfers Paradise Alliance and Griffith University
Fun Run creative team: Ben Graetz, Chloe Greaves, Tristan Meecham, Chris More, Emily O’Brien, Bec Reid, Nick Roux and Willoh S. Weiland.
Haus Da Fun Run Dancers; Timothy Harvey, Billy Parker, Julie Nguyen, Lerato Masiyane and Danzel Baker.
2015 ANTI Contemporary Arts Festival, Kuopio, Finland
Konsepti ja esiintyminen: Tristan Meecham Tuotanto, koreografia ja esiintyminen: Bec Reid Ohjaus: Willoh S Weiland (Aphids) Ääni- ja visuaalinen taide: Nick Roux Tuotanto: Emily O’Brien
2015 Ansan Street Arts Festival, Ansan, South Korea
Fun Run Creative Team: Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Willoh S Weiland, Nick Roux, Emily O Brien, Hyun-Jin Yim, Hyemin Han.
Fun Run Performers Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Younghee Park, Tae Woo Kang, Eajin Park, Seung Hwan Baek, I seul Cho, Dae Woong Choi
Community Performers The Korean Traditional Percussion Group, Ansan City Taekwondo Association, Winners Cheerleaders, Chuja Streetdancer, Sinbaram Seniors Drummers, Two M Cheerleaders, J.S Dance Company, Red Girl Aerobics, Power Jump Skipping, Zzang Line Dancing, Raonjena K-POP Dancers, World J&K Cycling, Revolution Korea Bodybuilding, Jumping High Trampolining.
2013 Sydney Festival (Opening Event)
Fun Run Creative Team: Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Willoh S Weiland, Lara Thoms, Martyn Coutts, Liz Dunn, Luke Smiles, Lauren Beck, Emily O Brien, Freya Waterson.
Fun Run Performers Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Mike Steel, Zoe Coombs Marr, James Shannon, Kyle Kremerskothen, Jacinda Richards, Jess Devereaux, Julia Mardjuki, Holly Durant, Lee Serle, Jullian Crotti.
Community Collaborators: Hump’s Athenian Army, Balance and UTS Tri Club, Physique Aerobics, Marching Koalas, Northern Beaches Gymstars, Northbridge Knockouts, Harbour City Bears, CFC Fitness Fusion, The Running Company, Salsa Republic, Team Mojo, Sydney Roller Derby League, Crossfit Bondi and CBPT Gym.
Fun Run Creative Team: Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Willoh S Weiland, Lara Thoms, Brain Robertson, Rita Khayat.
Fun Run Performers Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Sam Routledge, Ian Heazlewood, Daniel Cunningham, Kristy Rickerts and the Rix Kix Dancers.
Community Collaborators: Neon Dance Corps, D*City Rockers, Monkey Bar Gymnasium, Ferwood Fitness, Grey Panthers, Darwin Gymnastics Club, Darwin Triathlete Club.
2010 Next Wave Festival, Melbourne.
Fun Run Creative Team: Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Willoh S Weiland, Austin Hall, Hannah Cuthbertson, Lara Thoms, Martyn Coutts, Danny Pettingill, Jess Keepence, Bindi Green, Beatrix Coles.
Fun Run Performers: Tristan Meecham, Bec Reid, Mike Steel, Jessica Hynd, Susan Miller, Magdalene Phenomenon, Jamie Caldwell, Jullian Crotti, Stefan Bramble, Clare Best.
Community Collaborators: Gymnastics Victoria, Bodyelectric Dance Studios, Melbourne Cheerleading Academy, Melbourne Cheer Academy, Total Rush Cycling.
