EUTC’s Box of Beckett is perhaps one of the most ambitious shows Bedlam Theatre has put on — not in its scale, but in the depth of dangerous territory which it strays into. A fifth of the audience walked out during the show, with the remainder ending their night feeling startled, frightened, depressed, or sickened. There is no safety in the show — no place to rest, and very little joy or contentment to be found — and it is for this reason that it is so successful in presenting its vision.
Creative directors Robbie Morris and James Harvey oversaw the production of seven of Samuel Beckett’s shorter, less frequently performed plays, such as Krapp’s Last Tape — in which an old man listens to himself on a tape recorder eating bananas — to Breath, noted as “the world’s shortest play”, which features an audio-visual experience lasting for only 35 seconds.
Beckett — writing largely in the mid-twentieth century — was and remains a gargantuan figure in the world theatre scene. His style was furiously experimental, with major works such as Waiting for Godot and Endgame dealing with existential themes through dark, satirical humour. Despite his fame and artistic success within his lifetime, Beckett inspired many waves of criticism over his decadence, his apparent pessimism, and his anti-realist sentiments about art.
Unsurprising, then, was the divided reaction causing a number of audience members to leave between, or even during, the short plays. This was perhaps to be expected, for the scenes throughout were disturbing, unsettling, and artistically extravagant — Box of Beckett is a masterclass in unease. Acting highlights include Noah Sarvesvaran as Krapp in reeling off his tapes, and the terrifying dynamics created between Ben Black and Michael Butler as A and B in Rough for Theatre I. Come and Go also deserves significant praise for its flawless execution on behalf of the actors — Isla Duffy, Alayna Khatoon and Sonia Ostrosky — playing three ageless, almost soulless women exchanging places on a bench, and for its director, Rishi Bhardwaj, on composing the intricate movements of the piece.
All reactions of ill feeling towards Box of Beckett only contribute to its success, and prove that even Beckett’s near-forgotten works still hit their mark in the right hands.
Photo by Emily Sharp (@emilyrosesharp on Instagram)