Tuesday, March 30, 2004
HAMM (anguished): What's happening, what's happening?
CLOV: Something is taking its course.
(Pause.)
Endgame is one of my favorite Beckett plays. Not that I understand it, mind you, because I don't, yet I can still somehow relate.
While Michael Gambon is unmistakably a great (Beckett-)actor - and great in ever way - it was the casting of Lee Evans as Clov, that intrigued me. The most obvious, crass idea ever or a stroke of genius?
As it turned out, a bit of both. Lee Evans was quite restrained (considering that he is after all Evans, the most Stimorol-bodied of physical comedians), and played with a naive grace that is inevitably endearing. But is Clov supposed to be endearing? Or rather - would I want my ideal Clov to be endearing?
HAMM: Clov!
CLOV (impatiently): What is it?
HAMM: We're not beginning to... to... mean something?
CLOV: Mean something! You and I, mean something!
(Brief laugh.)
Ah that's a good one!
Yes, I actually believe that I do want Clov to be endearing.
It was a great adaptation and my theatre-buddy, not familiar with Beckett (except from that wonderful, wonderful portrait), was utter praise. And there you go.
Wong-Kei (the infamous tourist-insulting restaurant in Chinatown) has two signs on the two entry doors. One says 'No'. One says 'Yes'. I think Beckett would have approved.
CLOV: Something is taking its course.
(Pause.)
Endgame is one of my favorite Beckett plays. Not that I understand it, mind you, because I don't, yet I can still somehow relate.
While Michael Gambon is unmistakably a great (Beckett-)actor - and great in ever way - it was the casting of Lee Evans as Clov, that intrigued me. The most obvious, crass idea ever or a stroke of genius?
As it turned out, a bit of both. Lee Evans was quite restrained (considering that he is after all Evans, the most Stimorol-bodied of physical comedians), and played with a naive grace that is inevitably endearing. But is Clov supposed to be endearing? Or rather - would I want my ideal Clov to be endearing?
HAMM: Clov!
CLOV (impatiently): What is it?
HAMM: We're not beginning to... to... mean something?
CLOV: Mean something! You and I, mean something!
(Brief laugh.)
Ah that's a good one!
Yes, I actually believe that I do want Clov to be endearing.
It was a great adaptation and my theatre-buddy, not familiar with Beckett (except from that wonderful, wonderful portrait), was utter praise. And there you go.
Wong-Kei (the infamous tourist-insulting restaurant in Chinatown) has two signs on the two entry doors. One says 'No'. One says 'Yes'. I think Beckett would have approved.
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