Defeating the thirteen other companies invited to apply, Circus Geeks – Arron Sparks, John Udry and Matt Pang – have been awarded the Propeller Prize, a Jerwood-funded initiative organised by the Roundhouse, Circus Space, Jacksons Lane, SeaChange Arts and La brèche, and supported by the cross-Channel PASS project.
The Propeller Prize is a continuation and expansion of the 2011 Roundhouse / Circus Space / Jacksons Lane Associate Artist initiative that saw Collectif and then... supported to produce Lost Post, and is designed to give young companies the necessary security and resources to engage in an extended research and development process.
Over the next year Circus Geeks will undertake a programme of residencies among the Propeller partners and receive production support as they develop Beta Testing – a piece which was performed as a work-in-progress at Jacksons Lane in February 2013 and which incorporated some of the ideas and concepts tested out by Sparks during his Lab:time run.
Following its R&D phase, Beta Testing is set to premiere April 2014 at the Roundhouse's CircusFest.