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The Vortex Theatre opened in 1976 with a production of Samuel Beckett鈥檚 鈥淲aiting for Godot,鈥� the classic absurdist play, in which characters wait around for a mysterious person named Godot, who 鈥� spoiler alert 鈥� never appears. Fifty years later, Godot is still nowhere to be seen. But on Friday, May 29, a new version of the play opens at The Vortex, this time directed by Lauren Albonico.

鈥淭his is a really important production in the context of the whole history of The Vortex, because it鈥檚 the 50th anniversary of when The Vortex started鈥� and their very first production was 鈥榃aiting for Godot,鈥欌�� Albonico said. 鈥淭hat was directed by David Jones, one of the founders.鈥�

Jones directed 鈥淕odot鈥� two other times over the years.

鈥淭his (production) is also important, because this is the first production (at The Vortex) that is going to be directed by somebody with a fresh perspective on it,鈥� Albonico said.

鈥淕odot鈥� has been interpreted many ways, but often as an existentialist statement on the meaninglessness of life.

鈥淭he play is like a Rorschach,鈥� Albonico said, referring to the psychological test that uses random inkblots to reveal test subjects鈥� subconscious thought patterns.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not didactic at all. It鈥檚 like, there鈥檚 all these possibilities within it. Is there meaning to all this? Is there a God? And then, what do we do with our lives and our suffering in the meantime, as we鈥檙e trying to suss it all out?鈥� Albonico said.

Although the play raises these questions, it doesn鈥檛 answer them, she said. But directors tend to impose their own interpretations, which fall into two main types.

鈥淓ither it鈥檚 totally bleak and nihilistic 鈥� and, I would argue, those productions are kind of boring,鈥� Albonico said. 鈥淥r, two, there鈥檚 the approach of, 鈥榊eah, it鈥檚 all meaningless, so let鈥檚 just dance in the ruins of it.鈥� That鈥檚 sort of like 鈥楽einfeld鈥� nihilism. It鈥檚 like, 鈥榊eah, there鈥檚 no point to our existence. So, where should we go eat lunch?鈥欌��

But Albonico sees a third, more hopeful, possibility.

鈥淭he third possibility 鈥� which is the one I see in it, and which I really tried to bring out 鈥� is that there鈥檚 hope and there鈥檚 meaning, but it鈥檚 hidden,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like the hiddenness of God, the hidden quietness.鈥�

Albonico thinks Beckett鈥檚 play has much to teach about the meaning of suffering.

鈥淏eckett鈥檚 trying to tell us about how you suffer, and how you suffer well. I think it鈥檚 all in there, but a nihilistic approach to it will not bring those aspects out,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o, this is the least nihilistic version of 鈥楪odot,鈥� probably, that most people have seen.鈥�

Albonico鈥檚 鈥淕odot鈥� will be presented in the round with the actors in the middle of the blackbox theater and the audience seated around the perimeter.

鈥淚 knew from the get-go that I wanted to do it in the round 鈥� (because) that鈥檚 the most intimate way you can arrange it. And it鈥檚 also the way that promotes movement and physicality the most,鈥� she said.

The two leads, Vladimir and Estragon, will be played by Parker Owen and Jeff Dolecek.

鈥淚 just love these guys,鈥� Albonico said. 鈥溾�� I thought Parker would be a really good pairing with Jeff. Physically, they鈥檙e very different. You have the tall and lean, and you have the shorter and stouter 鈥� which is often the pairing that you have with Vladimir and Estragon. Also, in demeanor, they just play off each other in a very dynamic way.鈥�

The abusive landowner, Pozzo, is played by British-born actor, Tim Crofton, and his servant, Lucky, is played by Jeremy Zenor.

鈥淚 would describe (Crofton) as very British, in a loveable way, and he brings that to the Pozzo character, which is very interesting,鈥� Albonico said.

Albonico hopes her production will bring out the authentic human emotions of the characters, which sometimes get flattened in more stylized versions of the play.

鈥淚t鈥檚 like seeing your own heart,鈥� she said. 鈥溾�� We鈥檙e bringing out that vulnerability, so people can actually identify with these characters. And they can get a catharsis in the way that we鈥檙e used to getting with other, more typical plays. I think there鈥檚 catharsis in this play, too. 鈥� You just have to elevate it.鈥�

Logan Royce Beitmen is an arts writer for the sa国际传媒官网网页入口. He covers visual art, music, fashion, theater and more. Reach him at lbeitmen@abqjournal.com or on Instagram at .