A specially conceived triptych evening by the SAMUEL BECKETT BIENNALE in association with University of Reading BECKETT RESEARCH CENTRE.

THE 2026 SAMUEL BECKETT BIENNALE

September 19, 7pm (overall event duration 80mins)

September 20, 5pm (overall event duration 80mins)

Tickets: £25

Student Tickets: £20 (apply discount code STUDENT5 at checkout)

Limited Capacity

Minghella Studios, University of Reading, Shinfield Road, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6BT, Berkshire, England

Not I by Samuel Beckett

Mouth – Claire Booth

Director – Rufus Norris

Event Concept – Seán Doran

A specially conceived triptych evening (80 mins without interval) curated by Arts Over Borders's Samuel Beckett Biennale, in collaboration with the Samuel Beckett Research Centre, involving three different spaces housed within Minghella Studios, University of Reading. Related works, discussions and topics will form a journey of learning through to the full production of Not I (c.15mins) acted by critically acclaimed opera soprano Claire Booth.

Samuel Beckett’s Not I (1972) is a dramatic monologue to be performed by a single actor in a pitch-black space, character name Mouth. It is often recognised as a virtuosic sonic piece through its rapid babble of words. Arts Over Borders’ performances by Claire Booth will be the first time a trained singer has been invited to bring their skills of a virtuosic heightened classical voice to tackle Beckett’s challenging text. (Please note, the text will be spoken, not sung).

Triptych to Not I

Studio 1: The evening begins with Sequenza III (1966) for solo voice by Luciano Berio (dur.9mins), sung by soprano Claire Booth. This will be followed by a short in-conversation with Claire Booth and Rufus Norris (10mins) on the preparatory path for making Not I. This then will be succeeded with a short in-conversation on Beckett & Not I with the Beckett Research Centre (dur. 10mins)

Studio 2: Reading: A prepared text (c.30mins) to be read by Actor-Reader tbc.

Studio 3: (The Bulmershe Theatre): Not I by Samuel Beckett (c.15mins)

The Samuel Beckett Research Centre is an interdisciplinary hub for creative and scholarly engagement with the works of Samuel Beckett. It actively promotes all aspects of Samuel Beckett's legacy, especially the potential his work offers to creative artists.

BIOGS

CLAIRE BOOTH

‘An actor-singer who can raise the heat as soon as she enters the stage’.

OPERA NOW

British soprano Claire Booth has been widely acclaimed for her “radiant, rapturous, wonderfully nuanced performances” and voice of “piercing purity (and luscious richness” (The Scotsman). Recipient of the 2025 Royal Philharmonic Society Singer of the Year Award, for “artistry that knows no bounds”, she is renowned for her breadth of repertoire and the vitality and musicianship that she brings to the operatic stage and concert platform, with a versatility that encompasses repertoire spanning from Monteverdi and Handel, through Rossini, Janacek and Britten and now to one of theatre’s most demanding artists Samuel Beckett with his monodrama Not I for solo actor.

RUFUS NORRIS

Sir Rufus Norris is a highly acclaimed British theatre and film director. Rufus served as the Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the National Theatre from 2015 to 2025.

SEÁN DORAN

Seán Doran is a former Artistic Director & Chief Executive of English National Opera and international festivals in Australia, UK & Ireland. He is Arts Over Borders’ Creative Director.

UNIVERSITY OF READING is the home to both Samuel Beckett’s archive and Billie Whitelaw’s archive. Exhibits from both will be on display at Minghella Studios.

THE SAMUEL BECKETT BIENNALE is an initiative from Arts Over Borders and succeeds its highly acclaimed 10-year Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival led by Seán Doran and the late Liam Browne (2012-2022). The SBB is a laboratory festival that brings together Beckett associated locations across Northern Ireland (Enniskillen, Belfast), Ireland (Greystones, Wicklow) and England (Folkestone, Snodland, Reading and London) to celebrate Beckett’s work in a more exploratory and experimental way.

We would like to especially thank Edward Beckett and the Beckett Estate.

For any further information contact: sdoranenator@gmail.com

Description supplied by the event organiser.