Fragments
The Lowry Theatre
Tuesday 16th – Saturday 20th October 2007
7/10
PETER BROOK gives tremendous justice to one the 20th Century’s most crucial and inspiring playwrights, Samuel Beckett. His drama ‘Fragments’ is a short piece displaying scenes from five of Beckett’s works, linking them together with what seems as vital themes and emotions of life; disappointment, lethargy, love, humour and secrecy. It is with this unity that makes ‘Fragments’ a plausible piece of drama.
I was taken aback by the minimalist set, which was practically bare with only a few props placed visibly around the stage. The interchange between each scene was effective as it seemed the director approached the piece in a Brecht style where we are constantly reminded that the actors are just actors. This placed increased pressure on the actors, which luckily was carried out with conviction. Particularly, Kathryn Hunter’s portrayal of the old woman in Rockaby was disturbingly brilliant and I truly believed her loneliness.
What annoyed me about this piece is simply that; we are forced to view it as a piece of theoretical work rather than something to entertain us as there was no congruent or continuous story. It took a few hours after the play had ended for me to realise the linking themes and find some relevance to society and life. To a non-theatre lover, or yet to anyone who cannot be bothered, the whole idea of this drama would be wasted. It seemed that the entire cast realised this too, which was why some of the jokes seemed overacted in order to compensate.
On the whole, ‘Fragments’ is a brave attempt at a different style of theatre, and it some parts, it is very successful; the casting is phenomenal and each scene is performed with endless energy and realism so I was drawn into what they were telling me. It’s just a shame that each scene was removed from its context and apparently placed arbitrarily next to each other.
Romi Dasani
I think if you knew the context of the performance, a revival of a celebratory piece to mark the late Beckett's birthday, perhaps you would be less inclined to form the opinion that the pieces did not create a story. 'Fragments' is just that, fragments of Beckett's plays, put together to create an evening of very entertaining and captivating work that represents Beckett's role in the theatre. It is not meant as a linear piece of drama.
Anyone 'who cannot be bothered' is not going to be bothered to attend the theatre anyway. The audience was primarily made up of students and older people who respect Brook's excellent work as a director and practitioner and Beckett as a playwright.