Ian McKellen as Estragon Patrick Stewart as Vladimir
UK Tour followed by West End run at the
Theatre Royal Haymarket
5 March - 9 August 2009
Theatre Royal Haymarket followed by a tour of
Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa Ian McKellen as Estragon
Roger Rees as Vladimir Matthew Kelly as Pozzo Troye Sivan as
Boy
21 January - 14 August 2010
The Cort Theatre, Broadway Ian
McKellen as Estragon Patrick Stewart as Vladimir 26 October
2013 - 30 March 2014
Two old friends meet to converse, joke and
argue with themselves as they wait through one day and then
another for the mysterious Godot...the combination of music
hall, poetry and tension redefined what is possible in
theatre, so that today Waiting for
Godot is accepted as one of the most significant
plays of the 20th century.
When Samuel Beckett's play exploded on to the London stage
50 years ago, it shocked as many people as it delighted.
There had never been a play like it; indeed it was said
that: "Beckett has achieved a theoretical impossibility—a
play in which nothing happens, that yet keeps audiences
glued to their seats."
In a year rich with diverse drama
Sean Mathias's 2009 production for the Theatre Royal
Haymarket matched the success of the London premiere and
proved one of the most successful plays of the season
(indeed of any season) and broke all box office records for
both the play and the theatre.
After a sold out national
tour and an extended run in the West End, the Haymarket
revived the production, again directed by Sean Mathias with
Ian McKellen and Ronald Pickup returning to their memorable
roles as Estragon and Lucky. The highly acclaimed and
award-winning actors, Roger Rees and Matthew Kelly joined
them as Vladimir and Pozzo.
Ian McKellen and Roger Rees
are both renowned Shakespearean actors at
Stratford-upon-Avon, in the West End and on Broadway.
They first worked together in 1976 in Romeo and Juliet and
Macbeth.
In 1978 they toured UK for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Reviews
of the 2010 production
"When Gogo says: 'We've no rights
anymore? … We've lost our rights?,' you can feel the
audience's ears prick up." — Brent Meersman,
Journal of Beckett Studies
"In his droll, wry way McKellen's Estragon is funnier
than last year, funnier even than his famous Widow Twankey"
— Benedict Nightingale,
The Times
"Masterly McKellen glitters in Waiting For Godot
revival" — Henry Hitchings,
Evening Standard
"As a double-act, McKellen and Rees excel in perfectly
synchronizing Estragon's gloominess with Vladimir's
optimism." — Chloe Preece,
London Theatre Guide
"Performances that were at once subtle and commanding,
touching and funny, vulnerable and dignified and just about
everything we could expect Vladimir and Estragon to be." —
Benedict Nightingale,
The Times
"The wonderful humanity of Stewart and McKellen ensures
that you never think for one minute they are talking
nonsense" — Michael Coveney,
The Independent
"The opening moments of Sean Mathias's production of
Samuel Beckett's benchmark 1953 play suggest that this will
be a 'Godot' with a difference, and for two-and-a-half
alternately crushing and beautiful hours, Mr. McKellen and
his scarcely less distinguished colleague, Patrick Stewart,
do not disappoint." — Matt Wolf,
The New York Times
McKellen is superb. He performs Estragon with a maudlin
quiver in his voice and a note of comically pathetic
vulnerability. — Warwick Thompson,
Bloomberg
UK Tour
5-14 March 2009 Festival Theatre, Malvern
16-21 March 2009 Milton Keynes Theatre
23-28 March 2009 Brighton Theatre Royal
30 March - 4 April 2009 Bath Theatre Royal
6-11 April 2009 Norwich Theatre Royal
13-18 April 2009 King's Theatre Edinburgh
20-25 April 2009 Newcastle Theatre Royal
30 April - 9 August 2009 21 January - 4 April 2010
London Theatre Royal Haymarket
Reviews
of the 2010 production
"When Gogo says: 'We've no rights anymore? … We've lost our rights?,' you can feel the audience's ears prick up." — Brent Meersman, Journal of Beckett Studies
"In his droll, wry way McKellen's Estragon is funnier than last year, funnier even than his famous Widow Twankey" — Benedict Nightingale, The Times
"Masterly McKellen glitters in Waiting For Godot revival" — Henry Hitchings, Evening Standard
"As a double-act, McKellen and Rees excel in perfectly synchronizing Estragon's gloominess with Vladimir's optimism." — Chloe Preece, London Theatre Guide
Reviews of the 2009 production
The Times
"Performances that were at once subtle and commanding, touching and funny, vulnerable and dignified and just about everything we could expect Vladimir and Estragon to be." — Benedict Nightingale, The Times
The Independent
"The wonderful humanity of Stewart and McKellen ensures that you never think for one minute they are talking nonsense" — Michael Coveney, The Independent
The New York Times
"The opening moments of Sean Mathias's production of Samuel Beckett's benchmark 1953 play suggest that this will be a 'Godot' with a difference, and for two-and-a-half alternately crushing and beautiful hours, Mr. McKellen and his scarcely less distinguished colleague, Patrick Stewart, do not disappoint." — Matt Wolf, The New York Times
The Hollywood Reporter
"Thanks to the splendid performers, the audience leaves with a smile." — Ray Bennett, The Hollywood Reporter
Daily Mail
Verdict: Darlings, your tramps are wonderful — Quentin Letts, Daily Mail
Bloomberg
McKellen is superb. He performs Estragon with a maudlin quiver in his voice and a note of comically pathetic vulnerability. — Warwick Thompson, Bloomberg
UK Tour
5-14 March 2009
Festival Theatre, Malvern
16-21 March 2009
Milton Keynes Theatre
23-28 March 2009
Brighton Theatre Royal
30 March - 4 April 2009
Bath Theatre Royal
6-11 April 2009
Norwich Theatre Royal
13-18 April 2009
King's Theatre Edinburgh
20-25 April 2009
Newcastle Theatre Royal
30 April - 9 August 2009
21 January - 4 April 2010
London Theatre Royal Haymarket
Australia and New Zealand:
6-23 May 2010: Melbourne, Comedy Theatre
28 May - 3 June 2010: Perth, His Majesty's Theatre
9-11 June 2010: Adelaide, Her Majesty's Theatre
15-27 June, 6-10 July 2010: Sydney, The Drama Theatre
30 June - 2 July 2010: Wellington, St. James Theatre
13-14 July 2010: Christchurch, Isaac Theatre Royal
29 July - 14 August 2010: Cape Town, Fugard Theatre
Listen to Radio 4 Today Programme
Credits for GODOT
Photos for GODOT
Video Trailer: Comedy
Video Trailer: Tragedy
Next Play:
A KNIGHT AT THE CRUCIBLE
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