Belvoir’s warm, intimate downstairs theatre is currently home to Samuel Beckett’s novella ‘The End’. All the words of the Beckett novella have been retained with Eamon Flack adapting it to the stage and with the piece being performed by Robert Menzies.

In ‘The End’ a raggedy man is released from an asylum and lives out his last days destitute and homeless. The play sees him go through and articulate some heartbreaking experiences as he searches for food and shelter. By journey’s end we have got to know this Beckett character intimately. As tough and humiliating as his journey is he maintains a good sense of humour, along with his need to express himself as he charts his downhill slide.

Eamon’s intense production is stark and minimalist. There is no set to speak of, just a black stage floor with a small white cross centre stage and a black back wall. The play starts appropriately, without ceremony, with Menzies ambling in, from a door at the back of the stage, in character.

Menzies is one of Australia’s finest dramatic actors and proves it yet again with his solo performance. This is a very physical performance with Menzies mainly conveying his character through body language, facial expression and gesture. He is given great support by Teegan Lee’s great lighting design.

Eamon Flack’s resonant production of Samuel Beckett’s play ‘The End’ plays downstairs at Belvoir Street until Saturday 9th May, 2010.

Saturday 17th April, 2010.