My favorite street performer in Rome is this guy Marcel. He has a leonine mane of grey hair and a yellow jacket. He sets up by the southernmost fountain (The Fountain of the Moors) in Piazza Navona and does finger puppet dancing. He’s really good, very thetrical and professional opening and gathering the crowd with Robbie Williams “Why don’t we break up?” Then launching into finger puppet tango with both hands. HE’s made these gloves you see, with little characters on them and he uses his index and middle fingers as the legs and his booming sound system to get them happy feet moving. My favorite bit and his big closer is “Smooth Criminal” with his MJ finger puppet and a finger puppet moonwalk that has to be seen to be believed. Afterwards when one goes up to give him some tip he hands out little flyers photocopied on white paper that have a sketched picture of him, smiling underneath his mustache. There’s a thought bubble too. He’s thinking “Always be who you are and don’t let anyone tell you you’re wrong” This man’s doing what he wants, strange as it is, and doing it well. A hero.
http://www.marcel.it
