What Where (2/2)

[ChrisAdams1991]

I agree paperdustvictim. The visionary spectacle in his relatively contextual plays (Godot, Endgame, Krapp's Last Tape, Happy Days) is becoming more and more of a theoretical statement. His aesthetic seems to divorce itself from any identifiable representation of circulariy (time's repetition, redundancy of language, discourse defining existence) in favour of a visionary spectacle that refuses to be classified spectacle.

[paperdustvictim]

the later works of samuel beckett seems not of the type of absurdist theatre, in which his early theatre form where, although the philosophy of absurdism or rather circularity persevere, the style is rather different... does anyone agree?

[MissGuideMe]

This play echos Beckett's fascination with the circular nature of time. There are 5 in the beginning. As each iteration appears their facial mannerisms change from the first's sly torturers smile, to a look of panic, then resignation. Their faces betray their fear as their fate becomes more obvious and inevitable. Time passes, the seasons change. The final incarnation of Bel attempts negotiation and reason but fails. Resonances of Kafka

[mranenome]

Yeah, they're stuck in a clockwork bureaucracy. Its rules are their habits, their habits rule their minds. They follow the forms, complete the cycles, fulfill the function, even though they can see the machine's function is to destroy itself. The narrator ultimately makes a virtue of adhering to his duty, while acknowledging that it's absurd, even to the point of turning himself off at the end. Yeah I really like his plays where he does this kind of thing.

[Epexode]

That was great, thanks for the upload.

It is possible with youtube to make part 2 follow automatically part 1 (I don't know how though).

[dekionplexis]

This really is a masterpiece. Reminds me of Potter's 'Cold Lazarus/Karaoke'. Though I realise this piece pre-dates it.

Love Beckett's minimal use of language and repetition, it's poetic.

[zezt]

,,,so, was Harold Pinter influenced by Beckett or was it the other way around. I first thought I was watching a Pinter play!!

[mranenome]

I bet that would be a good question for an english lit professor. I sure couldn't tell you.

Now I should probably go look for Harold Pinter's stuff. Wikipedia says he played the title role in Krapp's Last Tape a few years ago...

[zezt]

Pinter was part of the Theatre of the Cruel--if i remember right. And his style of writing plays is like that. Very minimal and menacing

[KapitanoUK]

The Theatre of Cruelty was Antonine Artaud's project in the 1920s and 30s.

The Theatre of the Absurd was a movement of the 40s - 60s, including Beckett, Eugene Ionesco, Arthur Adamov and NF Simpson.

Pinter was influenced by Beckett.

[Mazurka1001]

@zezt You got to be kidding ? ? Harold Pinter influenced Becket ? What Harold PInter.

[dkg0]

Please do.. the first part is terrific.

[mranenome]

You want me to post it again? Is it not playing? Because I see it playing, no problem. I think there's some kind of intermittent problem with youtube that makes some clips not play once in a while, but later on they may work fine. I've seen that happen a few times with other clips, youtube throws up a message that says the clip is "no longer available'" or something. But they play fine later on.

[dkg0]

I hope that's the case. :)

[mranenome]

You know what, I tried viewing it on another computer just now, using IE, and it refused to play. I normally use Firefox and have never had this problem with that browser.

After fooling around I bit I found that adding &fmt=18 to the url will force the video to play, if you get that "no longer available" message.

I have no idea why this happened. Maybe I should do this over.

[dkg0]

That's done the trick. Thanks! :)

[ponselle]

Please,post it again! 2/2

[fbahrami]

torturing ourselves out of existence! love this play.

[Rownia]

About 'What Where': I had never seen this play acted before, just read the text. Very nicely done in my opinion. The library set was a surprise (because if I'm not mistaken there is no set apart from the microphone in the original version) but I think it works very well with this play.

[s4mth16ngstr24nge]

i like that this regressive HAL computer-type voice seems to be a brain as well as some kind of world or political regime that the characters are living in- a mind/environment/Time. but esp. the bright writing in the sets is too obvious.

[xlawa]

Interesting.

[NihilAdmirari]

It is always great to see Beckett acted out. However I must stick by my opinion that his plays are better appreciated when read. Thanks for the video.

[colmivers]

no theyre not, he wouldnt have spent so much time drawing diagrams and arrows around the set as well as all the lighting detail if they where meant to be read

[NihilAdmirari]

So I guess it's my fault that I enjoy reading them better than watching them... (??)

[colmivers]

no i just think its impossible to appreciate something tht was meant for audio/visual production when you red it in your hed

i too enjoy reading Beckett but it is impossible to fully appreciate his genius until you've witnessed the creative process at full fruition

[Rownia]

I agree. However, I believe a combination of watching the play and reading the text is necessary. With Beckett, the text is not merely a 'written down version' of the play, there is something more to it. For example: remember the end of 'Happy Days', where Willie crawls towards the gun? The stage directions say that Willie is "dressed to kill". Impossible to bring this wordplay on the stage, yet it's meaningful. This is one of the reasons I find Beckett so brilliant.