Oct 26—30, 2022
On Beckett
Bill Irwin / USA
A deeply funny, surprising 90-minute trek through the works of one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century.
In On Beckett, world renowned actor and beloved clown-artist Bill Irwin explores a performer’s relationship to the works of legendary playwright Samuel Beckett in a fun-filled 90-minute performance built to wow both Beckett completists and novices.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century, Samuel Beckett’s words take center stage as they are unpacked and delightfully examined, including selections from Waiting for Godot, Texts for Nothing, and Watt. Irwin’s physical approach to both the comic and tragic sides of Beckett’s writing invites audiences to experience the writer’s language as they never have before. This intimate, fast-paced tour de force has been called “deeply funny” by Vulture and “captivating…radiant, living theater” by the New York Times. This October, let Bill Irwin lead you through the lighter side of Samuel Beckett into a brilliant, new understanding of his work.
Info
Venue
Emerson Paramount Center
Robert J. Orchard Stage
559 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02111
Dates
Oct 26, 2022 - Oct 30, 2022
Season Package
Secure best seats today by purchasing a Season Package. 4-show Packages start as low as $99; Come to everything and save up to 40% on single ticket prices.
Groups of 10+
Orders of 10 or more tickets for any performance are available now.
Reserve Group TicketsDetails
90 minutes, no intermission
Tickets from $25
Ages 10+
Please Note
Proof of vaccination or a negative test is required for entry
Access
Open Captioning
Sat, Oct 29 2:00 pm
Audio Description
Sun, Oct 30 2:00 pm
Get Tickets
Artists
Conceived and Performed by
Bill Irwin
Produced by
Octopus Theatricals
Bill Irwin
Bill Irwin’s original stage works include The Regard of Flight, The Happiness Lecture, and Old Hats. He won Broadway’s Best Actor Tony Award for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and picked up a second statue for Fool Moon (created with David Shiner) which earned four Tony nominations. His many television credits include Elmo’s World (as Mr. Noodle) and Legion (Mr. Loudermilk), and his film credits range from Rachel Getting Married to The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. His many awards include one of the MacArthur Foundation’s “genius” grants. In 2022, Irwin was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.
Gallery
“BRILLIANT.
Comic wizardry.
Renowned for raising the craft of clowning to the level of theatrical artistry,
[Bill] Irwin is a modern exemplar of the performance traditions associated with vaudeville.”
— The Boston Globe
“What a captivating thought-provoking production!”
— @K_Ostrofsky
“What a wonderful 90 minutes of theater, words and performance.”
— @JulieHennrikus
“Bill Irwin is pure brilliance. Don’t miss it!”
— @gbenaharon
“ENTRANCING.
As a clown that Irwin simply has no peer.
Chock full of beguiling insights on what it means to be human.
And it’s damn funny to boot.”
— BroadwayWorld
★★★★★
— TheatreStorm
“Bill Irwin is like a magician revealing how the trick is done — and somehow rendering it all the more magical in the process…it’s also DEEPLY FUNNY.”
— Vulture
“A playful, intimate show…utterly delightful.”
— Sara Holdren, New York Magazine
“A better guide to playing Beckett would be hard to find. A masterclass is in session.”
— Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times
“Irwin’s physical comedy is delicious. Near-90 minutes of pleasure.”
— Tim Teeman, The Daily Beast
“Engaging, informative, memorable, visual
and, yes, entertaining.”
— Dany Margolies, Los Angeles Daily News