January 12, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

The Best of Beckett

By Kelly Hartog

 

In February 1956, Irish Times literary critic Vivian Mercer famously wrote of Samuel Beckett’s play “Waiting for Godot,”‘A play in which nothing happens, twice.’

Beckett’s minimalist, avant-garde style of writing, production, and theatrical exposition, is not for everyone. He makes you work. Everything needs to be parsed, and his productions are sparse: the writing, the sets, the silences onstage. With all this in mind, the Odyssey Theatre has chosen to tackle five short Beckett plays, four of which are presented before the intermission.

While the ensemble cast of Alan Abelew, Diane Cignoni, Sheelagh Cullen, Beth Hogan, and Norbert Weisser, all commit themselves with aplomb, there doesn’t appear to be any through line between the pieces. Director Ron Sossi definitely taps into the existential angst of Beckett’s works, but it’s difficult to comprehend why these particular five plays were chosen.

In “Act Without Words II,” Alan Abelew and Beth Hogan are masterful in their minimalist, silent rendition of two people together, yet separate. There’s a palpable discomfort watching this piece. It’s contrasted by “Come and Go” a play with just 121 words, where the three actresses in their pristine, pastel outfits are both best friends and backstabbers.

The third play, “Catastrophe,” was the highlight of the evening, and perhaps the most chilling. Famously written by Beckett as an ode to Vaclav Havel when he was in a Czech prison, Hogan is mesmerizing as the cruel director working with her assistant to display an elderly man to the public. This stark, political piece really deserved to be the first or last one shown and not sandwiched in between “Come and Go” and “Footfalls,” a solo performance by Cignoni that follows her pacing back and forth outside the room of her dying mother.

“Krapp’s Last Tape,” another of Beckett’s better-known pieces, is saved for after the intermission. Weisser turns in a poignant performance as the elderly, dying, Krapp, listen to audiotapes he’s recorded over the last 30 years, and realizing how much he’s wasted his life.

While the production overall is somewhat uneven, the performances by Hogan and Weisser make Beckett 5 worth a look.

Beckett 5 runs through March 5 at the Odyssey Theater. 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, 90025. Call 310.477.2055 or visit www.odysseytheatre.com

WST-Beckett21717 WST-Beckett21717B WST-Beckett21717C

Related Posts

Breaking News: The Palisades Fire Mandatory Evacuation Area Expanded in Brentwood

January 10, 2025

January 10, 2025

LA Fire Expands Evacuation Orders in Brentwood, and Evacuation Warnings in West LA As of 7:00 p.m., the previously announced...

Beverly Hills Schools to Stay Closed Friday Amid Ongoing Fire Concerns

January 10, 2025

January 10, 2025

Superintendent Dr. Bregy Cites Safety Concerns and Expresses Gratitude The Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) has announced that the...

Blame and Questions Surround Palisades Fire Response as Caruso Admits Hiring Private Firefighters

January 10, 2025

January 10, 2025

Critics point fingers at Mayor Bass and Local Officials During the First Night of the Inferno By Dolores Quintana There...

Breaking News: 6% Containment Achieved in Palisades Fire; Tragic Death Confirmed, Federal Government to Cover Costs

January 9, 2025

January 9, 2025

Firefighters Battle the Destructive Blaze With Reinforcements From Multiple States  On the third day of the Palisades Fire, at last,...

Disaster Assistance Available for L.A. County Wildfire Victims Through FEMA

January 9, 2025

January 9, 2025

Apply Online or by Phone; Emergency Shelters Open for Displaced Residents Los Angeles County residents impacted by recent wildfires can...

Palisades Village Area Unrecognizable As Smoke Clears

January 9, 2025

January 9, 2025

Several Businesses are Skeletal Embers of Themselves By Zach Armstrong Downtown Palisades is unrecognizable with several beloved businesses and structures...

Westwood Village Businesses Shut Down Amid Fire Crisis: Latest Updates from Councilmember Yaroslavsky

January 9, 2025

January 9, 2025

Parking Enforcement Eased, Businesses Closed, and BHUSD Closes Schools  The Beverly Hills School District has canceled classes and released a...

Beloved Westside Restaurants Destroyed in Palisades Fire

January 9, 2025

January 9, 2025

Iconic eateries like Moonshadows Lost to Destructive Blaze Sadly, several historic and well-loved restaurants were lost in the Palisades Fire....

Breaking News: Day Two of the Palisades Fire: Updates and Latest Information

January 9, 2025

January 9, 2025

This Devastating Fire Has Spread to Santa Monica and With Zero Containment After 24 Hours By Dolores Quintana In one...

Road Rage Caught on Camera: Cyclists Clash with Mercedes Driver in LA

January 8, 2025

January 8, 2025

Mid-Wilshire Streets Turn Chaotic as Erratic Driving, Heated Confrontation Authorities are investigating a road rage incident involving a group of...

Palisades Fire Erupts Amid Severe Windstorm in Moving Towards Santa Monica, Brentwood and West LA

January 8, 2025

January 8, 2025

Pacific Palisades Wildfire at 2920 Acres, Mandatory Evacuations Ordered in Multiple Areas This article will be updated as events unfold....

Gov. Newsom Deploys Firefighting Resources to Southern California During Severe Windstorm

January 7, 2025

January 7, 2025

State Pre-Positions Crews, Aircraft, and Equipment To Los Angeles County  Because of the Red Flag and severe windstorm warning issued...

(Video) At Vistamar School – Discover the way high school should be

January 7, 2025

January 7, 2025

Students achieve remarkable outcomes with our strong academics, small classes, andpersonalized approach. Our graduates don’t just attend college—they excel. Vistamar’sunique...

Severe Windstorm and Extreme Fire Weather Predicted to Hit All of Los Angeles Starting Tuesday Afternoon

January 6, 2025

January 6, 2025

Life-Threatening Conditions Expected Tuesday Through Wednesday, Wind Gusts Between 50-100 MPH A powerful and potentially life-threatening windstorm is forecast to...

Beverly Hills Man, Accomplice Indicted in $22M Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme, Stalking Case

January 6, 2025

January 6, 2025

Alleged Rug Pull Schemes Targeted Investors; Defendants Face 20 Year Sentence Two Southern California men have been charged with defrauding...