Waiting for Godot

Het Nationale Theater / Erik Whien

With Waiting for Godot, 'the best play of all time' returns to theatres. Directed by Erik Whien, the Beckett director of our time. Jaap Spijkers, Mark Rietman, Joris Smit and Bram Coopmans star in this masterpiece, which remains eternally intriguing. Full of hilarity, absurdity and a tree.

Run time 150 minutes
Genre theatre
Language Dutch

Waiting for Godot

Two men, Vladimir and Estragon, sit on a country road by a tree. They wait for a certain Godot and kill their time with big questions and small pursuits. One Pozzo comes along, dragging along another man, Lucky, on a rope. When they leave again after a wondrous conversation, there is nothing to do but wait further. Meanwhile, time passes. Night falls, a new day dawns. In ignorance, Vladimir and Estragon continue to wait, "because if he comes, we will be saved".
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In 2009, Erik Whien directed Waiting for Godot, 'his first Beckett'. The play received much praise in reviews. After successes with Eindspel, Krapps laatste band and Happy Days, he is again sinking his teeth into this poetic, absurd and funny play.

Eric Whien about Waiting for Godot

‘With Beckett, things only really come full circle when you return to the beginning. His work is essentially about time. By returning to this play that I made as a young director, I am in fact entering into a dialogue with myself. Essentially, life is a riddle, what are we doing here? How do we give it meaning? Beckett's texts dare to ask these big questions. As a maker, I have come closer to my own core in recent years. The loss of loved ones, the realization of finitude, brings a raw reality to the table. We are only here for a short time and we only have each other and nature. From this fact, I want to direct the play even more honestly, try to get closer to the core.’

REVIEWS

NRC

‘This gentle interpretation is both entertaining and melancholic.’

Scenes

‘Amusing and comforting through exceptional acting.’

8Weekly

Mark Rietman's grotesque facial expressions and body language evoke the clumsiness of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton from the era of silent film.’

Nederlands Dagblad

‘Mark Rietman brings hilarity through his facial expressions and voice.’

CREDITS

text Samuel Beckett
translation Jacoba van Velde
directed by Erik Whien
cast Jaap Spijkers, Mark Rietman, Bram Coopmans and Joris Smit
scenography Studio Dennis Vanderbroeck
dramaturgy Kyra Mol
assistent director Doris Vervuurt
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costumes Rebekka Wörmann
lighting Julian Maiwald
context program Tim Lafeber, Laura van Zuijlen, Sem Anne van Dijk, Iris Matters, Erna van den Berg
campaign image Anne Claire de Breij