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Happy Days Director's Note

I think of Samuel Beckett as an author who is the successor of Anton Chekhov, and I am very much overwhelmed and astonished by his sensibilities and preciseness in analyzing human beings when they are in specific situations. “Happy Days” is constructed in such a way that half of it is filled with stage directions, which demand actors to follow specific `physical actions`. I feel that Samuel Beckett is a playwright who absolutely understands the concept of `physical actions`.
I have seen several productions of his plays, but they were cold and without any spirit. One exception was “Rockaby” with Marjorie Nelson in the one-woman play. It was melancholic, wise, beautiful and alive. (I remember confessing my love to Marjorie Nelson that night after watching her performance).
Destiny gave me a gift. I was given an opportunity to rehearse this play “Happy Days” filled with the talent and tenderness of American actors Paul and Amy in Tokyo . We shared many tears and laughter in each rehearsal.
I often think that maybe someday, maybe in one hundred years, we might be able to FEEL Beckett's or Chekhov's plays as they wished us to feel. But we must start…I believe someday someone will accomplish this feat. Until then…

Leonid Anisimov
Honored Artist Of Russia
by seattlenovyi | 2009-02-15 23:46 | Leonid Anisimov
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