Stage on Screen: Beckett on Film

Samuel Beckett is acknowledged as one of the most important and visionary writers of the 20th century. His stark depictions of human isolation captured the spirit of a rapidly changing, chaotic world. In Beckett on Film, from Thirteen/WNET New York’s acclaimed Stage on Screen series, seven of the Nobel Prize-winning writer’s short plays are presented in a star-studded showcase of filmed versions. The works in the program were created for this series, and are far more than filmed stage performances. Translated here in imaginative fashion are Catastrophe, Ohio Impromptu, Come and Go, Breath, Play, Act Without Words II, What Were, and his masterpiece, Waiting for Godot. Part of an historic project to bring Beckett’s work to the screen, some of the most important talents in film and television—including Sir John Gielgud, Kristin Scott Thomas, Alan Rickman, and Harold Pinter—participated in this cinematic celebration of a quintessential man of theatre. Jeremy Irons stars in one of the plays and hosts the program, providing commentary and background on Beckett’s life and work, fascinating behind-the-scenes footage, and conversations with the actors and directors. Joan Egan, Joe Mulholland, and Rod Stoneman were Executive Producers for the Beckett on Film Project. Producers were Michael Colgan and Alan Moloney, with Associate Producer Susan Mullen. Jac Venza is the Executive Producer for Thirteen/WNET New York and Steven Tabakin, Producer. The films were directed by David Mamet, Charles Sturridge, John Crowley, Damien Hirst, Anthony Minghella, Edna Hughes, Damien O’Donnell, and Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Stage on Screen: Beckett on Film receives a Peabody Award for its fascinating exploration, keen analysis, and brilliant realization of the work of Samuel Beckett.