FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
The End Is In The Beginning
Philip Robinson and Sarah White in 'The End Is In The Beginning'.
Photo courtesy of the Playhouse Theatre
Heavy on linguistics, plentiful in laughter and packed with initiative and observation, Living Room Theatre's The End Is In The Beginning, directed by Nikki Sved, is a genuine example of giving an exceptional theatrical source brand new life. A collection of Samuel Beckett's works are gathered together with great skill, care and empathy in a cosy atmosphere which simultaneously allows for intense verbal elocution and immense physical expression, a "little big" or "big little" omnibus of plays and poetry which finds many ways to appeal to the audience at Derry-Londonderry's Playhouse Theatre.
The extraordinary ability of actors Philip Robinson and Sarah White to play a reflection on, a reaction to and a resolution for what feels like a personal and shared journey in discovering Beckett for the first time, or at the very least discovering the great man in a new way, is the driving force and most resonant hook for The End Is In The Beginning. The title itself is from Beckett's one-act play Endgame, also the title of the series finale of Star Trek: Voyager, and I really can't think of a more fitting title – this play is really a trek and a voyage through the life and literature of an Irish star. And, in its way, a quite wonderful one, too.
The set design, costumes and props are limited but effective, every single element playing its part in the voyage of discovery experienced by the performers and the viewers. With so much material, including All That Fall, Company, First Love, Molloy, Waiting For Godot, What Is The Word and the aforementioned Endgame to work with, the capacity for exploration seems limitless, and Sved works very hard to finely align the entertainment and the edification with the expression.
Philip Robinson and Sarah White in 'The End Is In The Beginning'.
Photo courtesy of the Playhouse Theatre
As the omnibus proceeds, one learns about the absence of meaning and feeling brought upon by silences and how we feel compelled to restore said meaning and said feeling, to fill those silences, with whatever resources at hand. One also experiences the difficulty but later the joy in figuring out new words, new verse and new prose, and how attachment to specific art or a specific artist can lock us into a phase where each acts as the source and the thrust for our soul and our actions. Robinson and White relay this in such a fascinating and winning way that we laugh when they do and our attention is fully captured by their moments in the spotlight – their chuckling is contagious, their commitment is arresting, and their presence brings a real sense of belonging. They recognise, quite wonderfully, that the iconography of theatre comes from playing to the back row without alienating those in attendance, and it's a masterful balance to strike.
By the time the second act has arrived and a mostly educational tone has given way to that of a more relaxing combination of cabaret and stand-up, the power of the performers and Samuel Beckett himself has exquisitely washed over everyone in the theatre. It's apparent that any initial novelty to or distance from such an enduring dramatic inspiration has ultimately translated to thorough understanding and warm hearts - the sort of thing that you really would find in a traditional family living room.
Simon Fallaha
A Living Room Theatre Production, The End Is In The Beginning was performed at Derry-Londonderry's Playhouse Theatre on Thursday September 17 and will be performed at the Seamus Heaney Homeplace, Bellaghy, on Friday September 18. For more information on the show, click here.