...reviewing Wall of Death: Way of Life

at the SECC, Glasgow, February 2010


When I was an extra at the Tron Theatre last month, to kill time between takes, I looked through the leaflets on display. Along with the usual 'see this' and 'go there' rectangular bits of glossy paper, there was a pile of matt, round cards.

These circular objects where promoting a new show with a black and white image of a boy on a motorbike at a near horizontal angle. And with Wall of Death in big capitals on the card's diameter, I instantly knew I wanted to see it.

The song covered by REM started going round in my mind:
          "You can waste your time on the other rides
           But this is the nearest to being alive
           Let me take my chances on the Wall of Death"

It seemed fitting, then, to here this song in the show. I say a show, I mean a convoluted cross between a gallery opening with nervous speeches and Q & A, and a wax-work-like walk through.

You enter hall 1 of the SECC after you're told to go to hall 2 as you collect your tickets.
You then wait and ushers wearing red Wall of Death T-shirts, which give the impression of slick rock-band like informality and cool, hand out postcards and pens for your question for Ken Fox and Co.
Err, I wasn't expecting this, think, what do you ask? Actually, what are we expecting from this thing?

SL and I had a card each, we came up with some non-sense about can you be too old to learn? We did also think of, 'if your children became seriously injured from this, err, sport, would you blame yourself?' A bit heavy or just out and out mean-spirited, we stuck with the age thing and I keep my card as a memento. I did toy with, can you do it with animals but I couldn't word it in a way that sounded appropriate for the many kids that were also in the audience. Plus, I like mementos.

We then were escorted into the next bit, another part of the black curtained hall 1. "stand along to the red rope on the ground" said a disembodied voice. As we all went forward, the red t-shirted brigade took our questions for Ken's lot. At the rope stood a man with grey Elvis-esque hair, a leather bikers jacket atop of a white shirt and black tie and trouser combo. He nervously began to talk into the mic;
         "When I was 13 or so, I read a comic about a stunt rider who performed on a Wall of Death, I want to grow up and do this for myself one day, you ride like no other at speed and without fear...." etc, etc, etc.

Yes, well who wouldn't, it looks cool! Plus motorbike, hell, you're Brando!

But how many of us get to fulfil their dreams from childhood, you're still a child at 13 these days, right?
He, Stephen Skrynka, the artist and now, hell rider, did.
As he continued with the laboured introduction, we, the audience could see a fairground stall, circular and colourful behind him. It was covered in bright lights and gramophone horns with small models too. As we eventually 'stepped this way' towards it all, the t-shirted bodies passed us A4 sized posters with old fashioned fonted words, it was a bill of the events of the day; Zoetropes for the modern eye, Wall of Death Hell riders, an experience, a way of life the sheet acclaimed.

The zoetropes where filmed live my cameras, and fed to screens above, so that more of us could see the magic. Are the cameras the modern eye, or are we? What can be gleamed, however, is the beauty of Skrynka's work, all inspired by the with we'll see soon; The wall itself and the stunts performed on it. The music played on horned gramophones with where in-between the zoetropes, which were themselves on old gramophone turntables. The audience took turns to turn and spin the models for others to see. If I'd been listening at the start, I would have heard Skrynka say that these are just glue, wood, plasticine and paper, it's OK for them to get damaged, if only by accident.

After about 10 minutes of the zoetropes and Skrynka running between them, changing the 'discs' like a man spining many plates at a talent night, we more to the next black curtained part.

Attacked by many full height and full width screen on with images where projected of practice on the wall by Stephen and Ken. The speakers shouted out the noises of the un-silenced exhausts of their bikes. A talking head of Ken explaining his choice of lifestyle and the qualities needed for it.

We then move round the giand dark object that sits almost unseen in the middle.
Then a part opens and the projected screens black out.
"Come right up, come right up, and welcome!" said a voice fit for darts commentary. This heralded the start of the Q & A but also the much needed introduction to the riders themselves. At last, maybe this is where the show will start. No, this is a quiet family who don't do that much public talking but do ride a mean wall. Ken Fox has the last Wall of Death in Europe and there are only a couple or so other working examples left in the world. He, between answering many pointlessly asked questions, explains why this was his calling and why no-one else wants to do it anymore. He also answered my unasked one about animals or pets on the wall. Apparently, some people did it with lions in the side car. No dogs mind.

Now, with that all wrapped up, finally, we ascend the stairs to the high level platform on top of the wall itself. Deafened by the bikes in real life, as aposed to video of them, we smell the oil the original round postcard told me about. The atmosphere starts to intensify, the expectation rises as we see the three men (one, Alex being only 15) and the only girl in the world Hell Rider as they take to their machines......
           "It's like at the start of a grand prix, but you're right there, in the thick of it!"


So, as I sip my 4th decaffeinated Earl Grey of the day, I can look back and say, yes, after all lthat padding and guff, the wall, sorry, The Wall, was well worth it. Those Zoetropes too.

I can see what it was all about now. I can see what Stephen was trying to say;

Wall of death: a Way of Life

I going to see it again, before it leaves Glasgow, you should too