Ohio Impromptu, Rough for Theatre 1 and Rough for Theatre 2

Synopsis

During 1999 and 2000 all 19 of Samuel Beckett’s stage plays were filmed for television, and brought together a distinguished range of directors and actors. This tape combines OHIO IMPROMPTU, ROUGH FOR THEATRE 1 and ROUGH FOR THEATRE 2.

Series

Beckett on Film Series

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of release

2002

Year of production

1999

Notes

OHIO IMPROMPTU was broadcast on Channel 4 on 1/4/2002
All 19 plays in the series and also a documentary on the filming of the dramas, interviews with their distinguished directors, a stills gallery with commentary and a souvenir programme are available in a boxed set of 4 DVDs. Duration: 10hrs 47mins price £99.99 from retail outlets or www.beckettonfilm.com

Documentation

More information about the series is given on the website www.channel4.com/beckett. A booklet containing a collection of quotations from some of those involved in the series, as well as information on Beckett and his work is available separately, price £4.95 (ref. 312000). Programme notes giving a programme outline, background and links for each play are available at http://www.channel4.com/learning/main/netnotes/programid1968.htm

Subjects

Drama

Keywords

Beckett, Samuel (1906-1989); drama - contemporary

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Price

£99.99

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

647 minutes (compilation)

Type

VHS

Price

£19.99

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

56 minutes

Year

2003

Sections

Title

Ohio impromptu

Synopsis

OHIO IMPROMPTU, written in 1980, opens with a figure clad in black with long white hair hiding his face and sitting on a white chair at a white table. There are two characters, the Reader and the Listener. The Reader, it emerges, is a mysterious messenger from someone now dead and once loved by the Listener. The book the Reader reads from tells the story of the Listener mourning right up until the last moment, when the story is told for the last time and ‘there is nothing left to tell’. Throughout, the Listener not only listens but also regulates his companion’s reading by knocking on the table with his hand

Duration

10 mins

Title

Rough for theatre 1

Synopsis

Written in French in the 1950s, ROUGH FOR THEATRE 1 features a blind man ('A’) and a physically disabled man ('B’) who meet by chance and consider the possibility of joining forces to unite sight and mobility in the interests of survival. Each once had a woman and now has no one to help him. B is the pragmatist while A keeps asking questions. B is reticent, never seeming to have noticed these things. B becomes cranky, going as far as to strike A, but being crippled he also needs him. The play ends in uneasiness and latent violence.

Duration

17 mins

Title

Rough for theatre 2

Synopsis

In ROUGH FOR THEATRE 2, written in French in the 1950s, two men, ‘A’ and ‘B’, try to assess the life of ‘C’, who is standing motionless, with his back to the audience, ready to jump out of the window. A and B review his life with mass documentation as though he were not present. The documents are mainly quotations from C’s acquaintances. A and B consider the flotsam and jetsam of C’s life including his confessed ‘morbid sensitivity to the opinions of others’. Distracted by the electric light and the love-birds they find in a cage, they do not appear to be giving their task due concentration. They finally decide to let him jump, only to discover he is already dead.

Duration

29 mins

Production Company

Name

Blue Angel Films

Name

Tyrone Productions

Phone

020 7292 0520

Fax

020 7292 0525

Address

c/o World Cinema Ltd
27-28 Poland Street
London
W1F 8QW

Sponsor

Name

Channel Four Television

Phone

071-396 4444

Address

LONDON
SW1P 2TX

Name

Irish Film Board

Name

RTE

Distributor

Name

4 Learning

Notes

Channel 4 Learning has now closed. This used to be the educational broadcasting arm of Channel 4. The online shop sold educational DVDs and CD-ROMs for use in primary and secondary schools.

 

Available from retail outlets

Online Retailer

Name

Beckettonfilm.com

Web

http://www.beckettonfilm.com External site opens in new window