Initial Response to 'In the Beggining' by Neil Labute

In the Beginning written by Neil Labute is the political play I am studying and will be peforming during my second term as a Theatre student at the Brit School. the The play explore sthe dysfunctional relationship between a child and a parent; the only two charcters in the text. The play primarily revolves around the theme of protest. within the play the child is about to join the Occupying Wall Street campaign in New York but has to deal with his passivist father who sees his child's eagerness to fight for change as a waste of time. The text has been written in a very naturalisic style which has been helpful as I had been studying naturalism within the previous term making the transition to term two more of a smooth process. Studying Brecht and his work tought us that we could alter the text as we wished to thus increasing the clarity of the play's political or social message. The naming of the characters, 'Child' and 'Parent' has a very significant effect in my view as it highlights the steretypical positions the different generations hold within today's society. The play is unusually short and has two alternative endings for the director to choose from. In my opinion the second ending is more effective for the reason that it leaves a bitter cliff hanger that leaves the reader at the end of their seat, whereas the first ending puts a full stop on the script.