GODOT, WER IS U?

I had the rare (and free!) chance to watch Tanghalang Pilipino and the French government's offering of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot.  The Filipino version of the classic play is titled " Godot, Wer is U?" And it was directed by Alain Timar. I heard of him before when Frenchy was still in Manila. He helped him stage a French monologue in UP Diliman that only them well- learned francophiles appreciated. I heard that term 'francophile' in the Ms. Earth beauty pageant relating to somebody who adores French culture. It sounds so negative, like a pedophile.

Frenchy once told me that people of the arts and other so called artists in Paris pee much higher than the ordinary human being. But of course, they're artists. And fuck. They're from Paris. All the more understood on their sense of self.  Here in Manille is actually of the same lot but let's not go into that.

But this one is in Filipino and set on a railway like in Home along Da riles. I hadn't caught the names of the 2 main characters but in the original version the names are Vladimir and Estragon. Oh the play is just about waiting exactly for Godot. Sounds so super kewl and so bohemian ha.

And why not, 2 people tackle things of not so great importance. They think about hanging themselves to a tree while waiting for Godot but chose not to because it would break and all other trivial stuff. Then comes Potso and his far-out assistant Lucky who is tied on a rope. As if an arrival of  new characters would thicken the plot, i suddenly got confused on the point of the 2 characters's existence. And the play has 2 acts. Then the second act becomes a bit surreal in the passage of time. Who remembers who? Suddenly some of the characters didn't remember what happened yesterday or somebody else was lost in the time lapse.

Ok. We never took this piece of literature during college that's why I am so baffled. Yes, baffled. I don't know, i guess i am not into deeper sort of things. Can somebody explain this 2nd act where Vladimir was the only one who remembered?

On the social side, this play is a target of shitheap on a festering culture. The Filipino version is just so filipino. More like a Juan Tamad in full blown proportions and follow thru points. Yes, we are always waiting. Who is Godot anyway. The play doesn't reveal who the hell is Mr. Godot. Is he gay? Yet it still goes on for the 2 bummer characters to wait for him and concoct stuff just to kill time waiting for him. Simply put by Dion Boucicault: “Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them.”

On the artsy side, this all male cast slugs it out just fine and handsome in the most Home Along da Riles style. I figured, as an audience, I was exactly waiting for Godot to show up (though i knew he wouldn't) because these thespians provided my 'killing time'.  And such an A-list I was given for that time. The play was baffling enough,  we don't need baffled actors on stage. Lucky ( i forgot the name of the actor) was extremely versed in improvisation. The set and production design was also on a performance level. With real soil on stage and a lone billboard of a sportscar and a beaming girl that provides the play with stark contrast.

Hmmm. Let's see. I would like to recommend this piece for people to watch. For a breath of fresh air and to intimidate yourself. Of course, Superman Returns is something else (di ko pa pala napanood). But i think this is a story of Everyman and i hope you could identify the metaphor of who Godot is in your life.