Eh, Joe?

Samuel Beckett directs for German television for the last time.

The first broadcast of the radio play in English on the BBC on 6th October 1964. The play opens with a familiar Beckettian theme, the search to put an end to language: “—story . . . if you could finish it . . . you could rest . . . sleep . . . not before”. “The shape of the narrative itself is indicative of the mind already in the process of degenerating towards an impasse. Voice alternates between talking about the story-telling itself, or the need to find the story to end all stories, and narrating [what it hopes will be that final] story." (Wiki) The term ‘cascando’ (‘cascades’) involves the decrease of volume and the deceleration of tempo.

Samuel Beckett directs a second production of Eh Joe for German television, after the first one of 1966.

Samuel Beckett directs for German television.

A lone man sits at a table dreaming. He dreams of singing a few bars of Schubert's lied, "Nacht und Träume." Then unseen people give him a communion cup and wipe his brow. He is shown dreaming again, then the dream repeats, only much slower.

An adaptation of the Beckett play

Performed at the Royal Court Theatre on 16th January, 1973 Produced for the BBC in 1977 by Tristram Powell Directed by Anthony Page and Samuel Beckett Cast: Billie Whitelaw

A twenty-minute, almost totally silent film (no dialogue or music, one 'shhh!') in which Buster Keaton attempts to evade observation by an all-seeing eye. But, as the film is based around Bishop Berkeley's principle 'esse est percipi' (to be is to be perceived), Keaton's very existence conspires against his efforts. This was Samuel Beckett's only venture into the medium of cinema.

Cloaked, cowled figures wander in patterns to rhythm instruments.

Samuel Beckett directs for German television.