Endgame dazzles sold-out crowds, confuses some
Shannon Witter '11
Issue date: 9/19/07 Section: Arts & Culture
Wheaton's production of Samuel Beckett's classic play, Endgame, has set the stage, literally, for a year of high achievement in the theatre department. All three performances, directed by Professor David Fox and held in the Kresge Experimental Theater, played host to sold-out audiences.
Endgame recounts a moment in the life of Hamm, a bitter old man who cannot see nor stand, and the servant he took in as a young boy, Clov, who is ironically unable to sit down. Hamm's two parents, Nell and Nagg, spend the duration of the play in barrels.
Hamm, whose name can imply "hammer," constantly pounds upon the other three characters, whose names reveal them as the proverbial nails.
The one-scene production conveys a hellish existence in a world of emptiness and hopelessness, where there is nothing to do but argue and lament. As Nell, played by Meghan Kenny '08, longingly imparts, life has become "like the funny story you've heard too often - you still find it funny but don't laugh anymore."
Endgame lacks a definite plot. Samuel Brown '09, who played Nagg, explained that the play is "about everything and nothing," emphasizing that Beckett succeeded in "creating artistic expression out of nothing."
In accordance with Endgame's central theme of desolation, the only scenery included two barrels, two windows and a chair, silhouetted against harsh lights projected onto a nearly bare stage.
Since all other characters are in some way paralyzed, Michael Zwolinski '08, who played Clov, was the only source of noticeable motion in the play. With arms hanging limply at his sides, Zwolinski tramped around the stage with a bare-footed haul (often comically carrying stairs on his back), adding what Brown described as "a refreshing breath of life and movement" to the play.
According to Michael Micalizzi '07, who played Hamm, Beckett's plays are to be viewed more like paintings than productions. "It's about the experience - challenge yourselves to see how many levels you can enjoy."
Zwolinski agrees, adding that Beckett is "unconcerned with giving you answers," and advising that if audiences "accept that [they] don't understand…[they] somehow will."
Wheaton's production of Endgame was an unforgettable theatrical experience. The talented cast took on the immense task of instilling reality into an absurdly abstract situation and succeeded brilliantly. Each was able to accurately capture the essence of their character without the gaudy showiness of most productions, and, in turn, capture the admiration and respect of audiences.
Endgame recounts a moment in the life of Hamm, a bitter old man who cannot see nor stand, and the servant he took in as a young boy, Clov, who is ironically unable to sit down. Hamm's two parents, Nell and Nagg, spend the duration of the play in barrels.
Hamm, whose name can imply "hammer," constantly pounds upon the other three characters, whose names reveal them as the proverbial nails.
The one-scene production conveys a hellish existence in a world of emptiness and hopelessness, where there is nothing to do but argue and lament. As Nell, played by Meghan Kenny '08, longingly imparts, life has become "like the funny story you've heard too often - you still find it funny but don't laugh anymore."
Endgame lacks a definite plot. Samuel Brown '09, who played Nagg, explained that the play is "about everything and nothing," emphasizing that Beckett succeeded in "creating artistic expression out of nothing."
In accordance with Endgame's central theme of desolation, the only scenery included two barrels, two windows and a chair, silhouetted against harsh lights projected onto a nearly bare stage.
Since all other characters are in some way paralyzed, Michael Zwolinski '08, who played Clov, was the only source of noticeable motion in the play. With arms hanging limply at his sides, Zwolinski tramped around the stage with a bare-footed haul (often comically carrying stairs on his back), adding what Brown described as "a refreshing breath of life and movement" to the play.
According to Michael Micalizzi '07, who played Hamm, Beckett's plays are to be viewed more like paintings than productions. "It's about the experience - challenge yourselves to see how many levels you can enjoy."
Zwolinski agrees, adding that Beckett is "unconcerned with giving you answers," and advising that if audiences "accept that [they] don't understand…[they] somehow will."
Wheaton's production of Endgame was an unforgettable theatrical experience. The talented cast took on the immense task of instilling reality into an absurdly abstract situation and succeeded brilliantly. Each was able to accurately capture the essence of their character without the gaudy showiness of most productions, and, in turn, capture the admiration and respect of audiences.
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