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Act Without Words II

OVERVIEW

  • Playwright

    Samuel Beckett 

  • Synopsis

    A 10-minute mime involving two players, 'A' and 'B', who are in two large sacks on the stage. Beckett specified 'violent' lighting and extended the notion by having the players prodded into action by a 'goad'. A is 'slow, awkward and absent' whereas B is 'brisk, rapid, precise'. A emerges slowly to set about his banal routine. Dishevelled and sulky, he eventually undresses and re-enters the sack. At this point, the goad prods B into action. He embarks on a more complicated routine, checking his watch and moving briskly to relocate the sacks on the stage before retiring back to his own sack. The goad, now on two wheels, awakens A and the cycle continues.

  • Play Type

    Plays General

    Number Of Acts

    One Act

  • Cast Size Male

    2

Original Production

  • Date of First Production

    14 June 1963

  • Production Notes

    First performed with Spiel (Play)
  • Producer

  • Original Venue


  • Venue Notes

    Performed at the Ulmer Theatre, Ulm-Donau.

Original Cast  
Production Team  
Director Deryk Mendel

Rights Information

  • Territory

    All Territories

  • Rights Type

    All Rights

  • Contact

    The Estate of Samuel Beckett

  • Address

    c/o Curtis Brown Haymarket House, 28/29 Haymarket,
    London SW1Y 4SP
    England

  • Phone

    + 44 (0) 20 7396 6600

  • Email

    cb@curtisbrown.co.uk

  • Website

    www.curtisbrown.co.uk

Source Of Information

The information for this entry is taken from various published sources on Samuel Beckett.