Quote of the Day: His words haunt me. Bill Irwin, On Beckett, on tour at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, MN through March 24, 2024. 

Bill Irwin in the Irish Repertory Theatre production of “On Beckett.” Conceived and performed by Irwin, “On Beckett” runs through 3/24/24 at the Guthrie Theater. Photo by Craig Schwartz.

Bill Irwin brings the writing of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett to life in his solo production On Beckett. He talks directly to the audience, inviting us to imagine the great writer and his works. Interspersed with recitations of his works, Irwin gives us commentary, bits of wisdom and several laughs. He says that Beckett’s words and characters lend themselves to clowning. Although he didn’t write for clowns, he imbued some of their characteristics into his work. He was a genius at combing drama with comedy, the popular term “dramedy,” which is most compelling. 

Bill Irwin in the Irish Repertory Theatre production of “On Beckett.” Conceived and performed by Irwin, “On Beckett” runs through 3/24/24 at the Guthrie Theater. Photo by Craig Schwartz.

Beckett through Irwin, (or is it Irwin through Beckett?) brings up questions of our existence. What are we here for anyway? And, a big one at the end, “Does his work bring out our avoidance of death, or does it ask us to examine it?” These are some themes that I picked up watching the talented and engaging Bill Irwin. His skills as both a storyteller and a clown kept us riveted to his performance. I attended the audio transcribed and ASL interpreted performance. The ASL interpreter (James, I think) was excellent, delivering his ASL lines almost simultaneously with Irwin’s. When the delivery was all action, he turned and looked at him, making us all focus on the actor. Of course, the lighting and sound effects keep us engaged as well, and there’s something about Irwin’s presence on stage that pulls us into his explanations and antics. I wish I could see it again to catch even more of the nuances. He can create a laugh with a facial expression or the tip of his hat. He puts on the clown pants and shoes right in front of us, and even that makes us smile. Then, the lights come up close to his face and we focus on the words, his words and Beckett’s words, and it’s like a dream, both relaxing and engaging.

Bill Irwin in the Irish Repertory Theatre production of “On Beckett.” Conceived and performed by Irwin, “On Beckett” runs through 3/24/24 at the Guthrie Theater. Photo by Craig Schwartz.

If you get a chance to see this talented and engaging actor live, please go! Bill Irwin’s On Beckett is a must-see for anyone who is fascinated by the performing arts, the writing of Beckett and those who pose questions that give us pause. I have yet to see a production of his most famous play, Waiting for Godot, but now I’m even more intrigued and curious about his other work. You can see On Beckett at the Guthrie Theater Through March 24, 2024. His show is produced by Octopus Theatricals and includes a few more performance dates. 

On Beckett, written and conceived by Bill Irwin, premiered at Irish Repertory Theatre in New York City on October 3, 2018. Scenic Design by Charlie Corcoran. Lighting Design by Michael Gottlieb. Sound Design by M. Florian Staab. Lisa McGinn is the Stage Manager. 

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt: Have you ever seen anything by Samuel Beckett? What did you think? Are you a fan of Bill Irwin and his many characters and accolades? What is the latest book or passage you read, or heard, that has caused you to ruminate on well after it was over?