Beckett Directs Beckett--A Trilogy: Waiting For Godot

Performed by the San Quentin Drama Workshop, this version of Beckett's most famous play is not actually "directed" by Beckett as the title suggests, but uses Beckett's original stage directions. A prominent jewel in the Theatre of the Absurd oeuvre--today typified by playwrights such as Harold Pinter and Tom Stoppard--Waiting for Godot is the story of two men, utterly miserable creatures nicknamed Didi and Gogo. On a mostly bare stage, sporting one sickly tree and a bench, the pair wait for a rendezvous with Godot, desperately trying to entertain one another while inside knowing that there is "nothing to be done." As a plaintive cry about the meaningless of existence, Beckett's play is certainly more intellectual and eloquent than "Life Sucks" spray-painted on the wall of a public restroom. Unfortunately, the lead actors--Lawrence Held and Bud Thorpe--are skilled without being charismatic; and the camerawork is pedestrian, at best. Given the conditions of the extreme repetitiveness of the play (such is life, Beckett would say) and the sparse staging, innovative filming and charismatic acting are desperately needed to hold most people's attention. But it's just not here. The other two tapes in the trilogy are Endgame and Krapp's Last Tape (available for $29.95 each). An optional purchase for strong theatre collections. (See ANIMATED MUSICAL STORIES & SONGS 4 KIDS IN 3 DIMENSIONS for availability.)