Reviews Sheffield Published 26 May 2011

Happy Days

Crucible Studio ⋄ 20th May - 4th June 2011

Pauline McLynn gets up to her neck in it.

John Murphy

G'wan, g'wan, g'wan. Photo: Robert Day

Winnie, the female lead in Beckett’s Happy Days, is generally thought to be one of the most challenging for any actress to attempt. Not without reason did Dame Peggy Ashcroft describe the role as the female equivalent of Hamlet.

Pauline McLynn is the latest actress to take on the role which involves her staying stock-still for over 90 mins while being buried in rubble, first up to her waist, and then up to her neck with only her beloved handbag and little-seen husband for company. The play, while ostensibly a two-hander, is more of a monologue by Winnie (we rarely hear from her husband Willie, although he is crucial to the play) and watching McLynn master Beckett’s dialogue while conveying a range of conflicting emotions is quite something to behold.

The Crucible Studio has been completely transformed for the production. Whereas the space is usually in-the-round, for Happy Days it’s been rearranged with the seats facing towards a raised stage. Lizzie Clachan’s design is particularly impressive, almost cinematic, with thousands of rocks and pebbles scattered over the stage and a gorgeous, desert-like backdrop with the sun shining brightly behind McLynn.

McLynn herself is magnificent as the eternally optimistic Winnie and clearly relishes delivering Beckett’s lines; she manages to remain cheery and ebullient while never fully concealing the deep strain of sadness underneath. Even a simple facial expression, such as her look of panic when her parasol catches fire, convey so much. Admittedly, it’s sometimes impossible to banish thoughts of her most famous character – that of Father Ted’s housekeeper, Mrs Doyle – but this is probably due to the fact that the two characters share the same relentlessly sunny disposition .

The character of Willie, here played by Peter Gowan, has little to do and yet is fundamental to the play’s structure. We don’t even see his face until the end, as he has spent most of the time with his back to the audience or hiding in his “hole”. Yet Winnie and Willie’s interaction is crucial: whether it be the thinly veiled sexual inneundo at the end (“There was a time I could have given you a hand…you were always in dire need of a hand, Willie”) or his monosyllabic answers to Winnie’s constant questioning. Of course, like most Beckett plays, much rests on the audience’s interpretation of events (and for this reason he’s perhaps an acquired taste), but Jonathan Humphreys’ production brings out a trace of sitcom in its portrait of this archetypal bickering couple, who both can’t live with each other and can’t live without each other, as well as a deeper resonance.

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John Murphy

John is the former editor of, and current contributor to, musicOMH. He lives in Sheffield, in the shadow of the famous Crucible and Lyceum theatres, and also reviews in nearby Leeds and Manchester. John is also a huge fan of stand-up comedy, and can be often be found in one of Sheffield's comedy clubs, laughing like a madman.

Happy Days Show Info


Directed by Jonathan Humphreys

Written by Samuel Beckett

Cast includes Pauline McLynn, Peter Gowan

Link http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/

Running Time 1hr 10 mins (including interval)

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