On Beckett

On Beckett is playing at the Irish Repertory Theatre located at 132 West 22nd Street. It runs ninety minutes with no intermission. The show closes on November 4, 2018.

The show is “exploring the works of Samuel Beckett”.

Samuel Beckett (April 19, 1922-December 22, 1989). He was an Irish avant- garde novelist, playwright, theatre director and poet. He live in Paris most of his adult life. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969.

Bill Irwin won a special Tony Award for Live Theatrical Production in 1999 for the show Fool Moon. He won another Tony Award in 2005 for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Bill introduces himself and tells us about Beckett. He said he will be reciting Beckett’s works as an actor or as the clown in him.

He quotes passes from the Unnamable (1955), Waiting Godot (1953), Wait (1953), Endgames (1957) and Tests for Nothing, Text 1.

Bill uses facial expressions, body movement and outlandish clothe and hats to add and emphasize what he is saying. Like looking like a clown with baggy pants, stripe socks and a big hat his expressions are silly.

Waiting Godot, Finn O’Sullivan is his straight young man, responding to some of the statements he makes.

You may not like Beckett but you will like Bill Irwin. He has more facial and body movements known to man, all good.

This one man play is worth seeing; you get to see another side of Bill Irwin’s acting talent.

Finn O’Malley does a nice performance for the short time he is on stage.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for photos. Click on photos for this and other shows.