“Nothing happens — nobody comes and nobody goes … it is awful,” says Estragon in the first act of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. This one-liner perhaps best summarises why a play like this cannot be restricted to one simple explanation, and still remain the most transparent account of the ever-growing realities, delusions and various perceptions of life.
Some theoreticians have critiqued this story of two hobos — Estragon and Vladimir, and their endless wait for someone (or something) called Godot — as slow and passive, and analyzed it as dealing with an unavoidable wait for death. Some have ascribed a more religious understanding to it, interpreting both characters as waiting for a Messiah, or deliverance. Others have a Marxist interpretation of the text, stressing on the plight of one character in the play — the slave Lucky.
Throughout the play, Estragon and Vladmir weep, bleed, laugh, shout and yell, but never stop waiting for Godot. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
The differing interpretations are numerous. However, a theatrical factor that is common amongst all of them is also encapsulated in that same line by Estragon — Nothing happens. Nobody comes and nobody goes. The play revolves around a very stationary state of the human condition — waiting — or, to make it less philosophical, killing time. This factor makes it a fantastic play to read, yet the toughest one to stage. This essentially is the core fragility of Zia Mohyeddin’s take on the classic, which turned out to be one of those rare productions that you look forward to before watching, but don’t look up to afterwards.
Estragon (Faris Khalid) and Vladmir (Ali Junejo) are waiting endlessly for Godot near a tree. As time passes, two other characters enter the stage; a master named Pozzo (Ameed Riaz) and his slave Lucky, (Fawad Khan), who he pulls around with a leash tied around his neck.
Throughout the play, Estragon and Vladimir weep, bleed, laugh, shout and yell, but they never stop waiting. However, at the end they do learn something. To call it a play without a plot would be erroneous, but because it is a play with no formally-structured storyline, the audience doesn’t get the sense of a narrative. One thing that can be said with certainty is that the director clearly understands the story, even if it does not ultimately transfer to the audience.
Mohyeddin’s intentions are clearly sincere to what he believes Beckett might have intended for Waiting for Godot. On a textual and thematic level, he has taken the bull by the horns and brought out one of the most in-context and focused interpretations of the play to ever be staged Pakistan, which is no small feat.
However, ultimately, it comes down to the Shakespearean understanding of the world as a stage. To put it more simply, watching the performance becomes more of a listening experience, as the viewer is left waiting to be intrigued by Beckett’s intoxicating one-liners while passively witnessing the actors either lost in needless movements on-stage, or failing at effective dialogue delivery.
The only place where one can feel the dogma of Godot inside-out is during a three-page long monologue by Lucky, which Khan delivered with an ideal combination of merciless wrath and peaceful wisdom. Aaliya Mohyeddin, who played a boy, embodied the much-needed innocence required for her character — one which can be interpreted as a manifestation of the angel Gabriel. The rest of the actors were unremarkable. While the subtle coloured lights on stage did enhance the poetic undertones of the visibly barren roadside set, they failed to create the desired atmosphere due to mediocre performances by the actors.
Throughout the play, Estragon and Vladmir weep, bleed, laugh, shout and yell, but never stop waiting for Godot. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
The lack of a structured narrative may be a reason why Mohyeddin’s production comes off as very lacklustre, but it certainly isn’t reason enough. Oomph can be added by rigorous rehearsals, but for this production to achieve finesse would require stronger actors worthy of Beckett and Mohyeddin.
Verdict: Mohyeddin was sincere with Beckett’s words. However, he was so involved with Beckett’s intentions that the audience could barely keep up with their combined genius. It may not be a very intriguing performance, but still is a must-watch for theatre enthusiasts.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2013.
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