By Matthew Rodriguez
No that’s not a typo, Waiting for Waiting for Godot in Los Angeles, California is based off of the 1953 play Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. However, in Waiting for Waiting for Godot, the characters Ester and Val are the understudies of a production of the original, mirroring the same questions posed within the previous work but with a fresh and digestible answer to life’s meaning of patience. Written by Dave Hanson and directed by Jacob Sidney, you can tell that these two men understood the meaning of the original but together, they play with and intermingle new themes to elevate the material.
Bruno Oliver plays the character of Ester, that stereotypical, old-fashioned, local community theater actor. However, what you immediately notice about Oliver is the richness of his voice, a beautiful bass tone undercurrent. This voice hints that Oliver is about to take our misconceptions of what a dejected, presumptuous actor is and explore a deeper layer. Oliver roams within Ester to show that true skill is not laughing at the role, but the vulnerability that slowly reveals itself within this character’s exploration. Thanks to Oliver’s mastery, the lesson comes from the truth of his selfdoubt.
Joe Hernandez-Kolski plays Val. The genius of his performance is the delicate balance of silly yet hopeful. The bright enthusiasm, the showy dance, the ache of growth—all these are shown perfectly. But Hernandez-Kolski continues and builds his character to a rhythmic linking of intertwined essence between him and Oliver that you can almost touch their visible chemistry. By the end of the play, you will no doubt see the importance of Hernandez-Kolski for this commanding performance.
The principle actor for Laura, the assistant stage manager, is Julie Marchiano however, I saw the show with the understudy Marian Gonzalez. Gonzalez’s acting feels like the actual assistant stage manager walks on stage. One scene alone, her monologue, is enough to warrant the ticket price. Gonzalez’s performance calms and quickly help settle you comfortably in for the next hour.
The team for this production is a list of all-stars. Director Sidney clearly can see the importance of the big picture of the play. Kaitlin D. Chang has an incredible eye for lighting design, apparent with a specific scene that won’t be hard to miss thanks to Chang’s control of mood. The scenic design by Aaron Francis makes you believe that this is an actual backstage, as if Francis went to a production and stole all their stuff. The realism of Francis’s design shows no weakness. Adriana Colón rounds out the team as the sound designer, using music and audio to add another element of immersiveness.
Waiting for Waiting for Godot is an argument that contemporary art has a necessary place alongside more established, respected older works. It’s hard to not overstate this production because it felt as close to perfection as theater demands. In today’s art-starved world, how theater survives and flourishes should all be based on this production.
Sacred Fools Theater Company Presents Waiting for Waiting for Godot, written by Dave Hanson.
The Broadwater Second Stage, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038
December 15-21, 2019 8:00 PM
Tickets: $15
Contact: 323-207-5605
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