WAITING FOR GODOT.

Mold

WAITING FOR GODOT
by Samuel Beckett

Clwyd Theatr Cymru (Emlyn Williams Theatre) To 22 May 2004
Mon-Sat 7.45pm Mat Sat 2.45pm

Audio-described 20 May
Captioned 22 May 2.45pm
Talkback 20 May
Runs 2hr 20min One interval

TICKETS: 0845 330 3365
Review: Timothy Ramsden 15 May

Not a great Godot maybe, but an illuminating one.While Noel Coward entertains in Mold's larger auditorium, Beckett's there for tougher tastes in the smaller. With an unexpected design idea. One, fortunately, framing some strong central performances. Literally.

Backing the parched-earth landscape is a gold-framed fleecy cloudscape. Another, empty, gold frame fronts the action. It emphasises Beckett's visual imagination (which became clearer as action drained from his later scripts, being evident too in the short TV pieces) and provides a metaphor. This is the play where nothing, supposedly happens. Twice. Its central characters are as the painted characters in Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George complain - stuck irrevocably in this situation, out ground-hogging day Groundhog Day.

Yet, as I recently thought while watching an indeterminate stuck-in-situ realistic drama, quite a lot happens in Godot. We discover more and more about Vladimir and Estragon, their contrasting personalities taking them further apart in response to experience. It's fitting that it's Estragon whose trousers end up falling down. That Vladimir is lead by events to the kind of philosophical thoughts that crown many a traditional drama. His image of the gravedigger delivering a baby, perfectly fits this inescapable, auto-recycling world.

As for action, people go to market, get blinded or go dumb offstage, as in Greek tragedy. Tim Baker's production is less happy with Pozzo and Lucky, though it's intriguing to see Pozzo's the one who can't bear Lucky's voice (how did he lose the power of speech?). Dyfrig Morris covers his head with his coat-tails in agony as the servant speaks back, while Aled Pugh's neck is red-raw from the rope he bears.

Moments can be unclear when the dialogue's given realistic irregularities. But the tramps mark out human experience clearly, John Cording's grizzled Estragon has already given up at the start this bloody - thing' he says, too annoyed to name his boot. He alternates aggression and fear.

Simon Armstrong's Vladimir, however, doesn't give in to his insistent bladder. Calm, even hopeful, his tone of questioning shows he understands the situation the second time Godot's young messenger appears. Humanity survives by comprehending its situation. It gives a point to writing plays.

Vladimir: Simon Armstrong
Estragon: John Cording
Pozzo: Dyfrig Morris
Lucky: Aled Pugh
Boy: James Edward Roberts/Jack Taylor

Director: Tim Baker
Designer: Mark Bailey
Lighting: Nick Beadle
Sound: Matthew Williams
Fight director: Renny Krupinski
Whip Master: Simon Beaumont

2004-05-16 18:23:04