THE END OF THE ROAD
In his brilliant staging of Barth’s work, director Paul Edwards has grasped the idea that Jacob’s inactivity is in fact the central action of the play. Jacob’s very passivity leads him into a situation where he must finally take action, and the results are devastating.
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Edwards emphasizes the theme of Barth’s story by framing the entire production in inaction, with Jacob as its center. When the audience enters the theater before the play starts, Jacob is seated at center stage, idly jotting down notes of observation, with the other characters situated in various corners of the stage. He does the same at the end of the show, until the house has cleared. This image shows us the intensity of Jacob’s inertia. It also makes the audience unsure of how to act. Is the play over? Do we clap? Do we leave? Everyone is reluctant to be the first to decide.
