'At CHELSEA space, photographs of Beckett rehearsing taken by the late Chris HA-rris, Beckett's correspondence with David Gothard, and related ephemera (all from Gothard's personal archives) form a backdrop for a wide ranging series of rehearsals, workshops, and speculative discussions.
'During the exhibition musicians, artists, actors, writers, performers and directors will use CHELSEA space to explore the creative nature of rehearsal, improvisation, discussion, preparation, process, and the wider influence of Samuel Beckett.
'The schema for presenting David Gothard's personal archive of Beckett at the Riverside is by artist Jess Wiesner.'
To celebrate the Centenary of Samuel Beckett's birth back in 2006, cultural events were launched all over the world to mark the date. As I wasn't familiar with Beckett's work at that time, I missed out on a feast of social shin-digs and Beckettian gossip - a fact that I'm still sensitive about to this day. But, as the old man's birthday is approaching (April 13th), I thought I'd mention one of the Centenary exhibits in the spirit of nostalgia.
CHELSEA Space celebrated Beckett's 100th with a photographic exhibition, displaying photographs of the man himself plunged into rehearsals at a theatre in London. The photographs were taken in the early 1980s, in the last ten years of his life, they capture brief glimpses of his directorical posture. The CHELSEA Space website includes the original press release, images from the exhibition, and a review byNeil Stewart that was published in ArtSEEN. You can take a look at some of the highlights, old as they might be, by clicking here.
