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Waiting for Godot: A Review
Oct. 27th, 2013 11:01 amLast night we went and saw “Waiting for Godot” at the Cort Theater in Manhattan. It was starring Patrick Stewart as Vladimir and Ian McKellen as Estragon. Shuler Hensley played Pozzo and Billy Crudup was Lucky. We saw Aidan Gemme as the Boy.
This is a play I know all to well having stage-managed it more than once in my lifetime. I was surprised how much of the dialogue was still rattling around in my head.
We took Caroline to see it. Her review is that she understood what they were saying but she didn’t understand what they were saying. She liked the slapstick and some of the broader jokes but over all it is not her favorite theater experience. I didn’t know that Peter had never seen it either so it was interesting seeing it two people who didn't know much about the play. I told her about my parents dragging me to art museums when I was a kid and at the time I didn’t understand why but now I appreciate what they were showing me and besides she will be the envy of many fans of different fandoms.
Overall I liked it. I thought of the two that Sir Patrick was the better of the two of course he had the role with the most lines. Sir Ian was being a bit of a mumbler at times and I had to translate what he was saying to Peter. It was basically done without mics with the exception of some floor mics that were being used for effects. So projection was the order of the day. I think Mr. Crudup needs to understand how much the human body absorbs sound especially when you have to project. The Lucky speech was hard to hear at times especially in the beginning. Mr. Shuler had no problems being heard.
This was pretty much a standard version of staging of the play. The set was down to pretty much the basic objects that you need to do the play. Minimalism seemed to be the theme of the day. So there were no real surprises or “oh I hadn’t thought about it that way”.
This is one that you go to see the performances rather than the play. It is not stunt casting since all the actors could hold their own on stage without microphones for the most part. If this is your first exposure to Godot and to Beckett, it is a good place to start. You will figure out pretty fast whether is absurdist theater is for you or not.
I am grateful that we went to see this play.
This is a play I know all to well having stage-managed it more than once in my lifetime. I was surprised how much of the dialogue was still rattling around in my head.
We took Caroline to see it. Her review is that she understood what they were saying but she didn’t understand what they were saying. She liked the slapstick and some of the broader jokes but over all it is not her favorite theater experience. I didn’t know that Peter had never seen it either so it was interesting seeing it two people who didn't know much about the play. I told her about my parents dragging me to art museums when I was a kid and at the time I didn’t understand why but now I appreciate what they were showing me and besides she will be the envy of many fans of different fandoms.
Overall I liked it. I thought of the two that Sir Patrick was the better of the two of course he had the role with the most lines. Sir Ian was being a bit of a mumbler at times and I had to translate what he was saying to Peter. It was basically done without mics with the exception of some floor mics that were being used for effects. So projection was the order of the day. I think Mr. Crudup needs to understand how much the human body absorbs sound especially when you have to project. The Lucky speech was hard to hear at times especially in the beginning. Mr. Shuler had no problems being heard.
This was pretty much a standard version of staging of the play. The set was down to pretty much the basic objects that you need to do the play. Minimalism seemed to be the theme of the day. So there were no real surprises or “oh I hadn’t thought about it that way”.
This is one that you go to see the performances rather than the play. It is not stunt casting since all the actors could hold their own on stage without microphones for the most part. If this is your first exposure to Godot and to Beckett, it is a good place to start. You will figure out pretty fast whether is absurdist theater is for you or not.
I am grateful that we went to see this play.
