International Beckett Season

Ok I'm taking the plunge here and writing about something which is completely different to what I normally write about, and although I know that it is unlikely to appeal to some of you, but I love it so had to write about it.

Most people's reaction when I start talking about Samuel Beckett and Existentialism 

The International Beckett Season is currently in full flow at the London Barbican Centre (I know so exciting!!!) so I have been finding ever more random ways to save money in the hope of seeing some of it! If you don't like Samuel Beckett (not to be confused with Thomas Beckett - the old arch bishop of Canterbury who was murdered, and who you probably learnt about in history) then best to stop reading this now. 

The reason I am writing about this is because I splashed out recently and got some tickets to see the well known Sydney Theatre Group's production of the acclaimed Waiting for Godot. I love this play - and if you ask me why, I probably won't be able to tell you. There is something about it: I like the way that the play is about nothing and everything at once and how it makes you challenge and question the core of existence itself. 

I wrote my thesis on the work of Beckett, so I am quite a nerd when it comes to this, but I note that its not everyone's cup of tea. I was once lucky enough to see a version with Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart! Amazing doesn't cover it! 

Haymarket Theatre back in '09

The recent performance at the Barbican was brilliant, the interdependence between the two sets of characters was carried out effortlessly and the the big climax of the first act (Lucky's speech) had me, along with the rest of the audience, on the edge of my seat. 

Incredibly uninteresting picture of my thesis 

I have often heard Samuel Beckett described in the same category of marmite: you cant be on the edge with him, you either love the way he writes or hate it. Most of my friends and family tend to be the latter, as his existential writing can be rather boring if you are not into that kind of stuff. 

I wanted to challenge you guys, if you haven't read Beckett, heard of him or are even vaguely interested in him. I challenge you to either go and see a play, watch one of his films online or simply pick up a copy of Waiting for Godot or Not I and see how it makes you feel, because I guarantee it will make you feel something. 

For the really brave of you I dare you to go and see a performance of Not I, which entails you sitting in a pitch black room being able to see only a moving mouth, muttering continuously and incoherently. 

Besides, if you hate it then you can always just go and grab yourself a drink to help you return to normality!!

If you need to get a jolt back to normality... 

For any of you out there who have seen a Beckett performance - what did you think?