Casting is now complete for the new production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, directed by James Macdonald, that will play a limited engagement at the Theatre Royal Haymarket September 13–December 14. Opening night in the West End is scheduled for September 19.
As previously reported, the cast will be led by Lucian Msamati ("Master Harold" … and the Boys, Amadeus, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) as Estragon and Ben Whishaw (The Crucible, Skyfall, The Hollow Crown) as Vladimir.
The duo will be joined by the newly announced Tom Edden (Crazy for You, Cyrano de Bergerac) as Lucky and Jonathan Slinger (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, title roles in Richard II and Richard III in RSC Histories) as Pozzo.
Beckett's existential play follows Didi and Gogo, who wait by a tree for a man named Godot. They don’t know who he is, why they are meeting, or what time he is coming—only that something incredible could happen when he does.
In an earlier statement Msamati said, “The wait has been worth it! I look forward to making merry mischief with James Macdonald for the first time and a too-long overdue reunion with the creative brilliance and genuine spirit that is Ben Whishaw.”
Whishaw added, “When I was 18, I was doing an art foundation course in Bedford and went one night with a friend to London to see a play that was part of a season of plays by Samuel Beckett at the Barbican Theatre. The play was Waiting for Godot. The next day I dropped out of my art course, having decided I wanted to study acting instead. I am unbelievably thrilled and excited—and a little terrified too—to be having this chance to perform Beckett’s utterly radical and incredibly beautiful play. It has haunted me since that night 25 years ago. And to get to do it with Lucian Msamati and James Macdonald … well, that’s just a dream.”
The upcoming production will also have set and costume design by Rae Smith, lighting design by Bruno Poet, sound design by Ian Dickinson and Niamh Gaffney for Autograph, casting by Amy Ball, and production management by Kate West.
Waiting for Godot is produced by Kate Horton for Fictionhouse and Len Blavatnik and Danny Cohen for Access Entertainment, in association with Kate Pakenham Productions.
Visit WaitingforGodotPlay.com.
