Review-Three Short Samuel Beckett Plays- Hong Kong Arts Festival
3-3-15
A Theatrical Master Class.
Part of the 43rd Hong Kong Arts Festival, “ Not I ~ Footfalls ~ Rockaby” is an evening of three short plays by Samuel Beckett. Deprived of all light, the audience is submerged in an hour of near sensory deprivation that fixates the audience solely on those aspects of the performance (by actress Lisa Dwan) that director Walter Asmus, designer Alex Eales and lighting designer James Farncombe allow you to see.
Once the lights fall in the auditorium, the audience is left in complete blackness for a few moments before a near pinpoint of red appears floating in the darkness. Then, from the moment she opens her mouth, these red lips take you on a rapid paced journey through the outpouring of a woman’s despair. It divulges the repressed thoughts of a woman who was silent for most of her life until some unnamed event causes her to disclose her unfocused thoughts. Beckett intended this to be delivered “at the speed of thought”. Miss Dwan does just that, plus a little more. It is near impossible to keep up with her pace but the intention and emotion delivered through her voice and the expressiveness of her mouth leaves little doubt as to the anguish her character has been through.
“Footfalls” moves to the opposite extreme. A pale figure in white is imprisoned in a hallway of light where she paces incessantly outside the doorway of her ailing mother. Here, she speaks to the disembodied voice of her mother. This piece is haunting and methodically paced. The woman seems herself to be stuck in a place between life and the afterlife.
The final piece, “Rockaby” finds a prematurely older woman sitting in a singular rocking chair that appears to rock of its own accord. Here, she watches the world through a window and recounts her life. She reflects on how she yearns to connect with the world but has never been able to do so.
Between each of these pieces, the audience is once again immersed in complete darkness, leaving them alone with their thoughts. Tom Smail composed haunting music, played during each interval, to tie each of these pieces together.
Throughout the evening, it was evident that the performer, director and designers worked intently on understanding every aspect of Beckett’s poetic prose. They highlighted the nuances of each beat and moment. Every movement, expression and gesture was meticulously thought out. Each emphasis and pause had purpose. The director and designers are at the top of their craft. However, it was Lisa Dwan, a singular actress on stage, who kept the audience captivated with scarcely any movement.
The only problem I had with the entire is evening is the surtitle board. I think it is absolutely imperative to make the arts accessible to all audience members. Providing surtitles is invaluable in achieving that. However, in this type of environment where lighting or lack of lighting is such a vital part of the production, it is intensely necessary to figure this into the lighting design. Most of these boards are adjustable. They can use different / darker colors or even be dimmed slightly. In complete darkness, it is unnecessary to have the board brighter than the performer.
For any actor or designer, it is highly recommended that you see this production, as it is truly a Master Class from a technical aspect and most especially for the performances by the laudable Lisa Dwan. But, even if you are not part of the theatrical society, anyone who appreciates truly fine art will be affected by this evening. If you have a chance to see it, it is well worth your time.
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