THE HANGOVER REPORT – Irish Rep brings back ON BECKETT, Bill Irwin’s illuminating rumination on Samuel Beckett’s writing

Bill Irwin in “On Beckett” at the Irish Repertory Theatre (photo by Craig Schwartz).

Over in Chelsea, Off-Broadway’s Irish Repertory Theatre has brought back On Beckett — a one man show conceived and performed by Tony-winner and clown extraordinaire Bill Irwin — for a return engagement this summer. As the the title suggests, the show (which is being presented in association with Octopus Theatricals) finds Irwin once again thoughtfully ruminating over and diving headlong into the opaque and oft-misunderstood writings of Samuel Beckett.

Similar to Patrick Page’s hit solo show All the Devils Are Here — the deep-voiced actor’s examination of Shakespeare’s villains — On Beckett is both a love letter and an illuminating lecture (e.g., it was insightful learning about the likelihood of the influence of vaudeville and early cinema on Beckett’s development). It’s obvious that Irwin’s deep obsession with Beckett’s craft was not only the catalyst for the show, but also his ongoing quest to unlock the mysteries of writer’s texts. Additionally, like Page’s project, the show also presents the opportunity for Irwin to sink his teeth into and animate Beckett’s distinctive language, which springs to electric life in the hands of the great actor. In the show, he focuses his attention primarily on two pieces, performing relatively obscure passages from Stories and Texts for Nothing and thoroughly dissecting the writer’s seminal play Waiting for Godot — a piece of theater with which Irwin has had many encounters, in various capacities, over the years.

Over the course of the 90-minute show, Irwin is nothing less than engaging, delivering a master class in Beckettian interpretation, while remaining transparent about the prismatic possibilities inherent in the texts. Indeed, he brings humanity and a specific point of view, injecting his performance with a distinctly Irish American flavor and the heightened antics and physicality of a clown. And despite this being an encore run, Irwin’s commitment and enthusiasm to the material remain fresh and utterly captivating.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

ON BECKETT
Off-Broadway, Play
Irish Repertory Theatre
1 hour, 30 minutes (without an intermission)
Through August 4

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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