This past week found me at the theater with friends. We saw Samuel Beckett’s “End Game” and it was a doozy.

 

Alan Mandell directed this production and played Hamm. Barry McGovern played Clov; James Greene played Nagg; Charlotte Rae played Nell. As Mr. Mandell had worked with and knew Beckett, he presented a play that, I’m guessing, would have pleased its author. The set was fabulous and true to what Beckett had described and the actors were some of the finest assembled. It was a top-notch production and the audience knew it. After the play’s finish, the cast gathered on-stage for a Q & A session with the audience. That was quite a bonus, I tell you. I was entertained by the actors and I learned a lot. And there’s one thing more – even though I had just watched those 4 actors portray their characters, not one of them remotely resembled what I had seen during the play. That, friends, is extraordinary, as none of them wore crazy prosthetics or over-the-top make-up. No – those four fine actors had simply become their respective characters, abandoning their own identities.

 

This was my first exposure to Samuel Beckett, and part of me thinks I dove off the deep end. There was just so much to process! The play itself, which is still tip-toeing around my brain. The energies given by the actors. The energy of the audience. It was a lot to take in, to try and grasp. I’m still swirling with it, searching for my footing. Not sure how long this will last, if I’m being honest. But isn’t that one of the gifts of good theater?

 

As much as I enjoy going to the theater, I don’t do it very often. And that’s a shame. Because my experience with “End Game” just goes to show how enriching – and yes, challenging – theater can be. I’m glad I said yes when the opportunity knocked.

 

Note: This play’s run ended last night.

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