Ben Whishaw and Lucian Msamati shine in stunning revival of Waiting for Godot – review

Waiting for Godot is one of those plays – the sort that you might have read in English lessons at school, the type that’s revered within theatrical circles as one of the true greats. Regarded as Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s masterpiece, a new revival has opened this week on London’s West End, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, directed by James Macdonald.

Famously it’s a play in which nothing much happens: for two and a half hours we watch as our protagonists Vladimir (Ben Whishaw) and Estragon (Lucian Msamati) find ways to pass the time as they wait, unsurprisingly, for a man named Godot to arrive. They encounter three characters while they are waiting: Pozzo (Jonathan Slinger), Lucky (Tom Edden) and a boy (multiple actors – on press night we had Alexander Joseph). These interactions are all interesting in their own ways, but ultimately inconsequential.

Of course, that’s not really what Waiting for Godot is about – it’s a play that tackles some major issues. It’s one which questions our very existence, explores the human condition, considers the purpose – or lack thereof – of our lives. This is not one for a lighthearted, feel-good night out, then – although having said that, there are an abundance of laughs to be had. This production really does a great job of extracting the humour from the absurdity and frustration of their situation.

The acting is superb. Our leading pair make for a brilliant double act: Whishaw’s thoughtful, withering Vladimir is a perfect counterfoil to Msamati’s gruff, plain-spoken Estragon. There’s a believable co-dependence between these lifelong friends. Slinger as the bullying Pozzo, and Edden as his long-suffering servant Lucky, are just as strong. Pozzo is a truly fascinating creation, a pompous, upper-class individual whose assumption of power just seems so unpleasantly natural; while Lucky’s speech, where he is instructed on command to “think”, is a spellbinding moment – one of the most captivating pieces of live theatre we’ve ever witnessed.

There’s a reason why Waiting for Godot is so revered – it’s an incredible piece of theatre and this is an outstanding revival. It feels like the sort of play we need more than ever: in a world with an “everything now” culture, one where we’re increasingly conditioned to expect quick-fix entertainment on social media, an art form that tackles meaningful issues – and one that does so deliberately slowly, allowing space for silence, creating time for ideas to gestate and resonate – feels quite magical, and it’s a brilliantly astute social comment. The exasperation of waking up day after day, in the hope that something better might happen? It’s haunting, it’s tragic, it’s hilarious: this is art imitating life at its most brilliant.

GAY TIMES gives Waiting for Godot – 5/5

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