This virtual conversation between Samuel Beckett and Tom Stoppard imagines what two giants of the theatre would talk about – or, rather, text each other about.
Nothing of much interest, it turns out. Written by the pseudonymous Archer Eland (could there be a more contrived pseudonym?) and produced by NYU Skirball, it plays out in messages over 35 minutes, complete with a sad face emoji (Beckett), keyboard smiles (Stoppard) and love hearts (both), reflecting our own WhatsApp ramblings back at us.
The writers are thumb warriors from an “inescapable other universe” apparently, who connect to shoot the breeze. In spirit, their exchange resembles the inconsequential blarney of Beckett’s old codgers from The Old Tune, though it is not half as moving. Beckett says FFS and makes up a plotless drama; Stoppard types FUCK YOU and talks about plays within plays.
We watch as words are typed, deleted and re-written, and recognise the way we express ourselves, or self-censor, in text form. But surely there has to be more value to this kind of realism to save from tedious replication? It is hard to figure out what deeper point Eland is trying to make, if any. Could Eland, in fact, be a New York equivalent to Dave Davidson (the pseudonym used by Lucy Kirkwood for her recent Royal Court play)? The too obvious British references would suggest an American author’s concept of British parlance (and what, by the way, is someone who is “emotionally a teapot”?).
The literary humour and in-jokes are mannered and self-satisfied, designed to show off knowledge and appeal to a club of readers urbane enough to get the references. Except these references are fairly basic; there is Beckett’s trademark misery and Stoppard’s trademark games. It is as if an Eng Lit student has sat down with a Wikipedia page, picked out the playwrights’ most salient features, and strung them together for sport. Textplay feels close to a Stoppardian game in itself, except with less-clever jokes.
