Beckett’s classic 1957 play comes to Exeter Phoenix

Passing their days in a bare room, the nearly blind, chair-bound tyrant Hamm and his dutiful but resentful and hard of hearing servant Clov exist in a constant see-saw of pathos and hatred, love and hope.

While the battling conversation between master and servant intensifies, Hamm’s parents, Nell and Nagg toy with nostalgia. Symbolic of the the enthusiasms of youth and how the young can disregard the needs of the old, even as the oldreminisce about their youthful enthusiasms.

In this mix of dark comedic wordplay and macabre insight, Beckett’s mastery is evident – absurdity in the face of meaninglessness, sorrow in the face of futility, humour in the face of mortality.

Following a successful run at The Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter in 2013, this re-mounting of Beckett’s classic 1957 play signals the fourth Westcountry tour by the Uncommon Players. Last year’s tour of The Browning Version was warmly received by audiences across Devon and Somerset. This year  Endgame, supported by Arts Council England will be the most ambitious tour to date for the Devon company.

With a local cast of professional and amateur actors, the UnCommon Players tour great plays to great little places.

The UnCommon Players are a Devon based theatre company.  Growing from the acclaimed Common Players, the company is made up of skilled and committed amateurs, to people from local educational establishments and some aspiring to a professional career. Often employing professional directors and designers, the work is highly professional and previously shows have toured to high acclaim, including three that wereproduced in association with Exeter Northcott Theatre.

Tickets on sale now at exeterphoenix.org.uk