Drama On One begins its Beckett Season with Watt, adapted and performed by Barry McGovern.
Published as a novel in 1953, Watt tells the story of a nomadic manservant who works for a Mr Knott. Watt's comically repetitious duties are related in sublime, self-revising prose that rejects the conventions of the plot-centred novel. Barry McGovern’s acclaimed stage version of Watt premiered at the Gate Theatre in 2010. Both the stage and radio versions are directed by Tom Creed.
The piece is introduced by Gerry Dukes, whose stage adaptation, with Barry McGovern, of Beckett’s post-war trilogy of novels as I’ll Go On has played around the world. Gerry is also editor of Samuel Beckett: First Love and Other Novellas and the author of the biography Samuel Beckett from Penguin’s Illustrated Lives Series.
Watt by Samuel Beckett
Adapted and performed by Barry McGovern
Music by Barry McGovern after Samuel Beckett, performed by Tonnta vocal ensemble.
Sound: Mark Dwyer
Producer: Kevin Reynolds
Gerry Dukes was speaking to Kevin Brew with Tommy O'Sullivan on sound.
The Beckett Season is made possible by the kind permission of the Estate of Samuel Beckett.