A superb, beautifully acted production that reveals Waiting for Godot’s depth and poignancy.
DAVID MANDELBAUM as Estragon, AVI HOFFMAN as Pozzo, and SHANE BAKER as Vladimir
RAFAEL GOLDWASER as Lucky, DAVID MANDELBAUM as Estragon, AVI HOFFMAN as Pozzo, and SHANE BAKER as Vladimir
By Joel Benjamin
The New Yiddish Rep is presenting a superb production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot in association with the Castillo Theatre in honor of the play’s 50th Anniversary.
Yiddish? Samuel Beckett? Waiting for Godot? Or, should I say Vartn Af Godot? Despite, perhaps because of, playing in Yiddish, this Waiting for Godot is the richest, most detailed production I have seen. It is by far the best acted, eclipsing all the big star productions which egotistically distorted the rigorous template that Beckett insisted be followed. The slightly kvetchy tone of Yiddish, plus the adroitly matter of fact acting of this terrific cast made the existential despair of Beckett’s play ring truer than ever. There’s something about Yiddish that affects the entire body (as every other language does in its own way) and these actors displayed a veritable panoply of physical attitudes. The sight of four regular guys who could just as easily been sitting on the stoop of a tenement in the Lower East Side, or working side-by-side in a sweatshop, or even, in the desperate surroundings of a concentration camp, makes the terror of the possibility of the meaningless of life even more poignant—understated but deeply moving. It is believed that the horrors of World War Two had a strong effect on Beckett and resonated in Godot, and the Yiddish immediately brings to mind the loss of the entire European Jewish community.
The four adult actors, and a delightful, angelic child, Nicholas Jenkins, were almost too close for comfort in the small Castillo Theatre as they went through their surreal yet everyday torments. From the opening moment when Estragon (David Mandelbaum) is peeling off his rotting boots, angst is the theme, sometimes quietly as he and Vladimir (Shane Baker) reminisce and make pointless conversation, and sometimes violently as when Pozzo (Avi Hoffman) sadistically attacks and mistreats Lucky (Rafael Goldwaser). The way Mr. Mandelbaum and Mr. Baker balance feelings of deep need and isolation is amazing. Mr. Mandelbaum’s Estragon is a sad sack with an intellect repressed by the horror of his situation. His life is made bearable by the presence of Vladimir who Mr. Baker has turned into a philosopher who won’t face the terrible truth of his life.
As directed by Moshe Yassur even the quiet interludes vibrated with exhausting sadness. The eruption of words that come out of Lucky in the first act are shocking, revealing that this pathetic slave had once been an educated man, now so repressed that Pozzo’s domination seems like a result of post traumatic stress disorder. Mr. Goldwaser is breathtaking as his eyes glowed for just a few minutes, the light tragically turned back off as he returns to serfdom. Pozzo’s sadism becomes multi-layered in Avi Hoffman’s interpretation. This is a Pozzo with redeeming qualities. Beckett gives us only frustrating hints about the backgrounds of each, so it is amazing that this cast found so much humanity in this sparsely written show.
The production stuck to Beckett’s descriptions. Mr. Yassur’s costumes were unbearably sad and the bleak set by George Xenos was perfect.
With only a few performances left it is important to experience this Waiting for Godot before the two Brits have a go at it next month.
*Photos Ronald L. Gassman
*Performed in Yiddish with English and Russian supertitles
Waiting for Godot at Castillo Theatre
543 West 42nd St. (bet. 10th & 11th Aves.)
Until October 13th!
Tickets and Information: Box Office-212-941-1234 or www.newyiddishrep.org or www.castillo.org
Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes
