Hey - That's Kinda Funny

Last week my wife says to me: “We’re going to down to Rock County to see some one act Beckett plays.”

So we went down to Rock County—where she teaches composition and intro lit courses—to see some one act Beckett plays. And on the way we start talking Beckett. We talked a little bit about “getting it” (I was convinced that I wouldn’t “get it”) but this spun the conversation around into a new direction: why the hell was the University of Wisconsin – Rock putting on a series of Beckett’s one act plays? After all, there’s got to be something more accessible and just as interesting. Why the hell did I have to waste my Friday night watching people stare at me from a dark stage while I drifted in and out of what it all means?

Turns out, the folks of Rock County, Wisconsin totally get Beckett.

We took bets on how many people would show up. I made snarky comments about how elite and marginalizing Beckett is and that watching it performed in community theater might be as awkward as watching a Guns N’ Roses cover band perform at a wedding.

The theater filled up. People had to stand in the back. The crowd laughed through the whole thing. And I’m not talking about the nervous-laughter Beckett’s so good at – I’m talking about full, all out, “we hear you” laughter. It’s hard to explain. But it was awesome.

Next week they’re putting on Hair. I’m totally there.