‘Godot’ well worth the wait
By Juliet Schoen
Many questions arise when watching Samuel Beckett’s enigmatic play, “Waiting for Godot.” The first that comes to mind is, why do I enjoy it so much? There is no plot, no action, little scenery. The brilliant dialogue makes it a fascinating work. Other questions are more daunting as the characters flirt with large issues that can be interpreted in many ways.
Fortunately, the Mark Taper Forum has come up with a cast that does full justice to the inanities that take place on a bleak, forsaken plot of land with one leafless, forlorn tree. Two men are bound together, unable to leave, because they are “waiting for Godot.” Who or what is Godot? Each person can make up his own interpretation. Meanwhile, life goes on, day after day, and there are no answers.
The banter between the two elderly men is delightful and the lines are delivered deliciously by Alan Mandell as Estragon and Barry McGovern as Vladimir. Mandell is wonderful as a pathetic shlep who shrugs his shoulders and mutters “I don’t know” with various intonations. McGovern is perfect as the stronger character, equally confused but more energetic. On stage through two acts, they never miss a beat.
In a remarkable bit of theater, enter Lucky with a rope around his neck as he is led, like a dog on a long leash, by his master, Pozzo, played by James Cromwell. Cromwell is a tall, commanding figure who is just right for the part. Poor Hugo Armstrong deserves much credit for his backbreaking turn as Lucky. Not only does he walk bent over, he must deliver, at breakneck speed, one of the funniest and silliest of monologues.
A boy, played by LJ Benet, suddenly appears as a messenger from Godot. The message is always the same. Godot will come “tomorrow.”
Credit must go to John Iacovelli for the minimalist set design and Christopher Acebo for the shabby costumes. Michael Arabian deserves applause for his deft direction of a difficult play. If Godot were watching, he would be pleased.