Happy Days (Glückliche Tage)
by Samuel Beckett
German by Erika and Elmar Tophoven
"Oh, this is a happy day! This will have been another happy day!" cries Beckett’s perhaps most famous female protagonist. Winnie, flying in the face of all fears, dangers and constraints, is determined to find life beautiful. In his absurd, existential play, Beckett questions humans’ unshakeable will to live and their unbreakable optimism, as personified by Winnie. The title, Happy Days, is not meant ironically; the play is a relentless experiment, a study of the almost monstrous pressure on people to be happy, to be positive, in a world that is anything but rosy.
"Ah well, not long now, Winnie, can’t be long now, until the bell for sleep. Then you may close your eyes, then you must close your eyes – and keep them closed … It might be the eternal darkness. Black without end … Oh yes, abounding mercies."
"Oh, this is a happy day! This will have been another happy day!" cries Beckett’s perhaps most famous female protagonist. Winnie, flying in the face of all fears, dangers and constraints, is determined to find life beautiful. In his absurd, existential play, Beckett questions humans’ unshakeable will to live and their unbreakable optimism, as personified by Winnie. The title, Happy Days, is not meant ironically; the play is a relentless experiment, a study of the almost monstrous pressure on people to be happy, to be positive, in a world that is anything but rosy.
"Ah well, not long now, Winnie, can’t be long now, until the bell for sleep. Then you may close your eyes, then you must close your eyes – and keep them closed … It might be the eternal darkness. Black without end … Oh yes, abounding mercies."
Director Christian Schwochow
Set Anne Ehrlich
Costumes Aslı Bakkallar
Stage lighting Cornelia Gloth
Dramaturgy John von Düffel
Premiere April 22, 2017
Dagmar ManzelWinnie
Jörg PoseWillie
Winnie
Willie
