It is very difficult to read a play and try to truly capture the deeper meanings of the gestures and actions of the characters when you are just reading what they are saying and also reading how they react or what gestures they did in the moment. Seeing the Great Works Staged Reading of the Endgame performance made it easier to truly understand what the characters where feeling and how they have adapted to their current situation. In the beginning of the text it says: “He looks up at window left. He turns and looks at window right. He goes and stands under window right. He looks up at window right. He turns and looks at window left.” Reading this confuses the reader as to what Clov is actually doing and why. While seeing the performance I was able to see that this part of the text had a humorous purpose. Right away, the audience was able to characterize Clov, and give reasons to his actions.
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The performance of the Endgame gives off a different feeling than the text itself. In my opinion, the actor’s choices to build his character can really influence my first impression of the text. In the beginning of the performance, Clov displayed a unique personality by the way he walked – stumbling down the stage. The way the actor portrayed Clov really gives off a feeling of loyalty towards Hamm – which can explain why he stayed with Hamm for so long. The actors’ outfit also gives off a better feeling of the characters. These are the choices the actors can do to let the audience understand the performance better. Therefore, I agree with Rosshelle with how the actors’ actions or gestures really plays a big role into helping the audience understand the text better.
Crystal Wong
Crystal Wong
Continuing with my post above. There was one scenario that is different from how the actors portrayed it. In the beginning of the play, Clov only said “it’s finished” and nothing else. However, in the text, he says more than that. He stated, “I can ‘t be punished any more.” During the play, Clov just seems like he’s doing his own thing and minding his own business. However, in the text, he gives off an impression as if he is in any trouble. In the play, I don’t notice the ‘tension’ between Clov and Hamm until later on while the text hints it to us from the beginning. In the end, it both leads to Hamm treating Clov poorly.
A performance will always be more detailed in terms of physical actions in comparison to a reading. I agree with you when you quoted “He looks up at window left. He turns and looks at window right. He goes and stands under window right. He looks up at window right. He turns and looks at window left.” I do did not understand these actions when first read. The performance presented themes much better than the reading did.
I don’t think that the scene of checking out windows left and right was meant for humorous purposes. My interpretation of that scene was that Beckett is purposefully criticizing the repetitive routine of human lifestyle. We always go back and do the same thing over and over again even though we know the results. I feel that this critical point emphasizes his theme of existentialism, and how much he finds life meaningless. If life was truly meaningful, no matter what happens, there will be a meaning. In the apocalyptic world that Endgame takes place, all four characters did not find a true meaning to life. In my opinion, I don’t think they understand what it meant to live, which is why they kept complaining back and forth about everything, and did nothing. Because of this, I don’t think that they adapted to the environment, either. More or less, they never adapted to being in the world.