“CRITIC’S PICK! Captivating…radiant, living theater”
– Ben Brantley, New York Times
“a delicious piece of theater… a playful, intimate experiment conducted by a master practitioner… utterly delightful”
– Sara Holdren, New York Magazine
DESCRIPTION
Bill Irwin can’t escape Samuel Beckett. He has spent a lifetime captivated by the Irish writer’s language. In this intimate 90-minute evening, Irwin will explore a performer’s relationship to Beckett, mining the physical and verbal skills acquired in his years as a master clown and Tony Award-winning actor. Irwin’s approach to the comic, the tragic, to every side of Beckett’s work – including Waiting for Godot, Texts for Nothing, and more– will allow audiences to experience the language in compelling new ways. Whether you’re encountering the Nobel Prize winner’s writing for the first time, or building on a body of Beckett knowledge, this dynamic showcase is not to be missed.
LISTEN
ARCHIVAL VIDEO
“…a better guide to playing Beckett would be hard to find. And when it comes to the clowning elements, a masterclass is in session.”
– Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times
PERFORMANCE HISTORY
UPCOMING
…to be announced.
HISTORICAL
ArtsEmerson | October 2022
A.C.T. | October 2022
Modlin Center | October 2022
The Old Globe | July 2022
The McCarter | March 2022
Center Theatre Group
Irish Repertory Theatre
Originally Developed at American Conservatory Theater
Workshopped at Vineyard Theatre and Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle
“Engaging, informative, memorable, visual and, yes, entertaining.”
– Dany Margolies, Los Angeles Daily News
TECHNICAL RIDER
SCHEDULE
Per Presenter
Pre Hang
2 Days Before 1st Performance
Load in Scenery
Focus Lights
Sound Check
Tech
1 Day Before 1st Performance
Tech / Dress Rehearsal
Day of 1st Performance
Work Notes
Performance
PERSONNEL
# Personnel
- 1 Performer
- 1 Production Stage Manager
- 1 Lighting Supervisor
- 1 Video/Audio Supervisor
- 1 Line Producer (select engagements)
- 4-5 Total
“near-90 minutes of pleasure…Irwin’s physical comedy is delicious… a brilliant gateway to understanding [Beckett]”
– Tim Teeman, The Daily Beast
KEY ARTISTS
Bill Irwin
Bill Irwin is a Tony Award winning actor, director, writer, and clown. Original works include The Regard of Flight; Largely New York (Four Tony Nominations); Fool Moon; Old Hats, The Happiness Lecture; and others. He has played in many Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional stage productions, including, ON BECKETT, an evening of passages from Samuel Beckett’s work at Irish Repertory Theatre, The Iceman Cometh, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play), The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?; Waiting For Godot (2009 for a Drama Desk Award nomination); Endgame; The Tempest; Texts for Nothing; Garden of Earthly Delights; Accidental Death of An Anarchist; Showboat – and the Tony Award winning Fool Moon, which he created with David Shiner.
On television, Irwin appears as Mr. Noodle of “Elmo’s World” and Carey Loudermilk of “LEGION”. The Regard of Flight (PBS) with Doug Skinner, Michael O’Connor, and Nancy Harrington. Film credits include “Rachel Getting Married”, “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”, “Eight Men Out”, “Interstellar”, “Stepping Out”, “Unsilent”, and more.
Irwin was an original member of Kraken, a theatre company directed by Herbert Blau, and was also an original member of the Pickle Family Circus of San Francisco with Larry Pisoni and Geoff Hoyle. Irwin is the grateful recipient of MacArthur, Guggenheim, Fulbright, and National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships.
CREATIVE TEAM
Set Design: Charlie Corcoran
Costume Consultant: Martha Hally
Lighting Design: Michael Gottlieb
Sound Design: M. Florian Staab