Villie!!! (Happy Days at the Pushkin Theatre)

I was a tad concerned when I heard we were going to see a Beckett play in Russian. After all, there have been times Beckett in English made me nod off. But since we were seeing Happy Days, I was hopeful. After all, this is the play that made me a Beckett convert. I saw an outstanding production at the National in London, featuring Fiona Shaw as Winnie and directed by Deborah Warner. Watching that production, I finally understood the humor in Beckett.

So despite the language barrier, I thought perhaps there could still be some laughter. After all, Beckett is about the rhythm and music in his language, which can often transcend language barriers (or so I had heard from a former college professor who said that the funniest play he ever saw was Waiting for Godot in German, which he doesn’t speak). Unfortunately this was not quite the case at the Pushkin’s production.

Waiting in the lobby, it was clear we were the youngest people there by about 30 years at the least. Once they opened the doors to the small theatre, we had to push by a crowd of old lady pensioners waiting for an unclaimed seat. Laura and I happened to be seated by a few who whispered through the opening, and upon finally realizing that a woman buried in a mound of dirt was probably not for them, left. The majority of these pensioners rudely walked out. My favorite time was when Winnie screamed suddenly, scaring a few who promptly scurried out.

Not that I would have left myself, but I was also a bit put off by the production. The frequent musical underscoring irked me. First, I think the anal Beckett estate would probably sue since I’m about 99% sure it’s not in the script. But the reason it’s not there is because the music ruins the rhythm that Beckett so delicately constructs within his language. Which is probably why much of the humor was ruined. Of course I don’t know what was lost in translation, but I do think this was a large part of the reason that none of the Russians were laughing.

At least some pensioners were exposed to some Absurdism, right?