A classic of modern theatre, Beckett’s absurd and macabre play stars David Neilson and Chris Gascoyne. Read more …
Languishing between life and death, the tyrant Hamm (played by David Neilson) and his dutiful but resentful companion Clov (Chris Gascoyne) are irrevocably bound to one another.
They pass their days in a filthy, bare room, caught in a loop of futile routines. Their endless and brutal verbal jousting match is punctured only by the nostalgic reminiscing of Hamm’s parents, reduced to living in rubbish bins.
Absurd and macabre, Endgame makes a grim joke of life, and finds laughter in the darkness. Dominic Hill, Artistic Director of the Citizens Theatre, brings his talent for gripping and absorbing contemporary interpretations of classic texts to Beckett’s masterpiece.
This is a stand-out, not only of Beckett but for this theatre season as a whole.
A touch more tonal variation wouldn’t go amiss, and it’s nobody’s idea of an easy night out, but it hits home with nihilistic force.
What is gratifying about these performances is the way in which both actors transcend their grotesque appearances to affirm the humanity of a pair of characters locked in symbiotic balance with one another.
Beckett’s Endgame is by no means an easy night out, but this production benefits from an excellent cast.
So, amid such bleakness, is reward to be found? Well, yes.
It's the kind of theatrical experience that leaves you shaken yet also strangely elated questioning life but hinting that, perhaps, not all hope is lost.
Proves hacking, wheezing new life can be pumped into one of Samuel Beckett's most famous plays.
A tremendous purity of bleakness about Dominic Hill's masterly new Citizens' production.
Overall this is a solid production with nuanced performances of pleasurably unlikeable characters. Sadly it’s difficult to see how this piece could ever be anything more than a relic whilst the Beckett Estate continues to push back against the changing tide.
Endgame reflects humanity in a godless universe. The great accomplishment of Hill’s production is that it expresses both the terror and the comfort in Beckett’s vision.
Chris Gascoyne--Endgame
Citizens' Theatre, Glasgow from Thursday February 4, 2016, until Saturday February 20, 2016. More info: www.citz.co.uk
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