Goodman Theatre
On the Goodman Mainstage, 200 S. Columbus Drive
Tickets priced from $28 to $40, box office ph# (312) 443-3800
Opens January 18, 1999 through February 20.
Waiting for Godot is a classic of contemporary theatre. So its no surprise is that it opens at the Goodman Theatre on January 18, 1999 for performances through February 20. Samuel Beckett's play displays two aimless and desperate vagabonds, Vladmir and Estragon, who wait daily for the arrival of a mysterious Mr. Godot. Although they torment each other in order to facilitate the passing of time, their waiting grows increasingly meaningless. They are visited only by two travelers: Pozzo and Lucky who embody the master/slave relationship. Only when a boy arrives do the Vladimir and Estragon receive word that Mr. Godot will not meet them today. But if they return the next day and wait, he will surely come. The next day repeats the one before it.
Purely existential to its core, Waiting for Godot questions the meaning of our existence and displays our inventive ways to pass the time before we die. Bleak? Yes. Depressing? Perhaps. But no matter what religion, spirituality, or morals one subscribes, everyone has their days that make he or she wonder, "what the hell it is all for anyway?" Beckett's masterpiece serves only to question, not answer, such universal and eternal enigmas.
Fortunately, the Goodman's performance not only delivers a powerful and emotional production, but they make it highly entertaining as well. The dialogue is Beckett's, but the humorous repetition, punctuated jokes, and comedic beats are a credit to director Michael Maggio and his actors, Andre De Shields (Vladimir) and Ross Lehman (Estragon). De Shield's physical comedy and Lehman's sarcasm transfigure Beckett's two vagabonds from bumbling transients to smart, accessible caricatures. They torment each other like an unhappily married couple and every minute is amusing. It is this chemistry between De Shields and Lehman's which drives the repetitive second act with rejuvenating energy. Moreover, De Shields and Lehman's superb farcical foreplay serves as a clear reminder of the comedic grind we put ourselves through each day.
However, details are not lost at the expensive of comedy. De Shield's refined cadence and mannerisms add a lost elegance to his character. While Lehman's vulnerability incites empathy. As a result, we reflect on what these men once were or could have been - an interpretation that is tragic, yet dynamically crafted. Also, Beckett's use of redundancy is utilized to its full potential by the performers. The attempted removal of Lehman's boot and De Shields' interplay with his hat and itching head reveal how the force of habit both passes the time and wastes it.
The acting is as crisp, convincing, and enjoyable as expected. But the performance does tread a delicate line between madness, tedium, and general frustration and it pushes the audience towards these same uncomfortable emotions. We watch as the two hobos grow more and more desperate in their aimlessness. They even bicker about who should be first to hang themselves in a tree, revealing the poignancy of fearing loneliness - one having to first leave the other - more than death. Eventually, the waiting becomes suffocating, but Maggio does well to push humor onto almost every appropriate word and action of the play. As a result, the conflict of De Shields and Lehman's idleness propels our delight and interest.
Meanwhile, Tim Edward Rhoze (Pozzo) and Lazaro Perez (Lucky) provide welcomed highlights. Their master/ slave interaction entwines both absurdity and pain into thought-provoking entertainment. Rhoze's domination and Perez's exhaustive subservience makes us shift in our seat as we reflect upon those who we enslave and/or allow to enslave us. In addition, the portrayal of Lucky as a shell of a man - property of another - adds an unnerving flavor to the performance. We hold our breath, watching Rhoze's demeaning authority over Perez. We pity Perez's exhaustive drooling and are captivated when Perez explodes into a soliloquy of rambling nonsense, after almost thirty minutes of stage silence.
Unforgettable is Riccardo Hernandez's set design which vividly enhances the play's farcical sensibility. His asymmetrical stage (one corner jets out towards the audience) is painted dirty yellow and shimmers with sparkles. Meanwhile, Donald Holder's lighting design colors the flat, expansive backdrop and hanging spherical sun/moon. From pale blues, surreal reds, pacifying yellows, then deep marines, the lighting transforms the countryside from sunrise to sunset. Only a large stone and stark black tree decorate the stage. The sight is both otherworldly and sophisticatedly Goodman.
Finally, it is notable that Maggio brings Beckett's play into the 21st Century by incorporating racial diversity into the five member cast. Both De Shileds and Rhoze are African American, while Godot's messenger boy, played by Keith Perez, is Asian. This detail is hard to miss and is well appreciate, especially within the realm of classical theatre.
Overall, the performance is successful on multiple emotional and philosophical levels as well as being just plain funny. By the end of the second act, we are lead by both Beckett and Maggio to catharsis. Through De Sheilds' touching soliloquy, we come to terms with the meaninglessness of Vladimir's existence and accept his helpless, painful resignation. And perhaps in the process, we reflect upon our on place in the universe.
Waiting for Godot opens on Goodman Theatre Mainstage Monday, January 18 at 7:00 p.m. and will continue through Saturday, February 20 with evening performances on Tuesdays (2/2 and 2/9 only), Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sunday at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m.; and afternoon matinees on Thursday (1/21, 1/28, and 2/4 only), Saturdays (1/30, 2/13, 2/20 only) and Sundays at 2:00 pm.
