Lizzie Murray
Director Ross Jolly presents a captivating production of Samuel Beckett’s modernist play Waiting for Godot. The cast delivers high energy and keeps the audience engaged despite its dreary plot. Polished performances, sophisticated set design, and dreamy lighting add colourful depth to the play where nothing happens.
Disillusioned by World War II artists of the modernist period played with and deconstructed art forms to question their meaning. Beckett’s play is cyclical and absurdist. Waiting for Godot could be read as the result of two characters waiting for their playwright to give them meaning. While they wait for the man they don’t know, Gogo (Jeff Kingsford-Brown) and Didi (Andrew Foster) repeat conversations, discuss religion and contemplate suicide. Without plot, the script risks alienating the audience but Jolly’s direction creates an undulating pace and engages the audience throughout.
A huge portrait of Beckett ominously greets the audience as we enter Circa One. The familiar, bare set waits as the audience take their seats. Andrew Foster’s set design is minimal yet striking. The stage is a huge slab of rough concrete. A spindly tree has remarkably grown through the concrete cracks. Mounds of rocks extend the set as they lean against the sides of the stage. The gradient of amber light on the back wall brings the set to life and mirrors the autumn colour story of Wellington’s early evening.
The skilled cast laughs with the audience throughout, relishing in Beckett’s dark and meta-humour. Kingsford-Brown is particularly playful while Foster plays Didi with a dry wit. Peter Hambleton offers grand visual jokes in his portrayal of the pompous Pozzo. Pozzo has replaced his smoking pipe with a vape and often addresses the audience directly in a smug and booming voice. I craved more surprises in the otherwise faithful production.
Jack Buchanan plays Pozzo’s slave, Lucky. His character is stationery for the majority of the show but Buchanan shines brilliantly when Lucky is asked to dance and “think”. Borrowing moves from Elaine Benes, Buchanan performs a dramatic and hilarious interpretive “net” dance. He also delivers an extremely intense, nonsensical but utterly engaging monologue that won an applause on opening night. Lucky can’t break Pozzo’s chain but he does escape the fourth wall as he howls along the audience’s isles.
Both acts end in transitions to night by a rising full moon. The moon projection is crisp and enormous. The image is impressive but the quick animation and dramatic sound effect was jarring in between the soundless scenes. I wondered if the moon should have appeared slowly during both acts to mirror the theme of impending time.
I left wondering what meaning this very faithful rendition of the existential play evokes in me, here in 2019. Jolly’s production is a love letter to Beckett. I do wonder if more risks could have been taken and more surprises hidden in Beckett’s beloved play. Perhaps there is not much room for artistic changes in the strict script. But ultimately it is up to the individual to give this play meaning.
So, what are you waiting for? Waiting for Godot is on at Circa Theatre until 1 June. Book your tickets here.
A huge portrait of Beckett ominously greets the audience as we enter Circa One. The familiar, bare set waits as the audience take their seats. Andrew Foster’s set design is minimal yet striking. The stage is a huge slab of rough concrete. A spindly tree has remarkably grown through the concrete cracks. Mounds of rocks extend the set as they lean against the sides of the stage. The gradient of amber light on the back wall brings the set to life and mirrors the autumn colour story of Wellington’s early evening.
The skilled cast laughs with the audience throughout, relishing in Beckett’s dark and meta-humour. Kingsford-Brown is particularly playful while Foster plays Didi with a dry wit. Peter Hambleton offers grand visual jokes in his portrayal of the pompous Pozzo. Pozzo has replaced his smoking pipe with a vape and often addresses the audience directly in a smug and booming voice. I craved more surprises in the otherwise faithful production.
Jack Buchanan plays Pozzo’s slave, Lucky. His character is stationery for the majority of the show but Buchanan shines brilliantly when Lucky is asked to dance and “think”. Borrowing moves from Elaine Benes, Buchanan performs a dramatic and hilarious interpretive “net” dance. He also delivers an extremely intense, nonsensical but utterly engaging monologue that won an applause on opening night. Lucky can’t break Pozzo’s chain but he does escape the fourth wall as he howls along the audience’s isles.
Both acts end in transitions to night by a rising full moon. The moon projection is crisp and enormous. The image is impressive but the quick animation and dramatic sound effect was jarring in between the soundless scenes. I wondered if the moon should have appeared slowly during both acts to mirror the theme of impending time.
I left wondering what meaning this very faithful rendition of the existential play evokes in me, here in 2019. Jolly’s production is a love letter to Beckett. I do wonder if more risks could have been taken and more surprises hidden in Beckett’s beloved play. Perhaps there is not much room for artistic changes in the strict script. But ultimately it is up to the individual to give this play meaning.
So, what are you waiting for? Waiting for Godot is on at Circa Theatre until 1 June. Book your tickets here.