Waiting For Godot
(This isn’t a review of the play itself — you can find dozens of those online — but more of me going to see the play.)
When I read (via FriendFeed) about Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart starring in Waiting For Godot I rang the theatre and booked a pair of tickets immediately. If I’m honest I’d heard of the play, had virtually no idea what it was about, but the opportunity of seeing those two actors on the stage together was too good to miss.
The cost of the tickets, £49, was sweetened by the fact that not only did my companion get in for half price (presumably some kind of compensation for the burden of listening to my “jokes” throughout the evening), but also by my mum reimbursing me the cost as my Christmas/birthday presents.
Waiting for the day to come was a mixture of anticipation and more anticipation, but the nearer it got to March 9th, the more I was worried I was getting my hopes up too much. After all, just how exciting could a trip to the theatre to see a play I know nothing about be?
The day arrived and my companion, Kelvin, and I were smart and on our way by half past six — the show started at eight o’clock. We got to Malvern at around twenty past seven and spent a good ten minutes trying to find a bloody parking space!
The theatre building was impressive, being very clean, neat and modern. A short detour to the right to the lift and we found ourselves on our own personal bridge which was a good vantage point to view the main entrance. We paid a customary visit to the bar where Kelvin took advantage of my spazzy hands (he paid for the gin and tonics while I was still fumbling with my wallet — a handy trick I have down to a fine art;) and we sat and gazed at the awesome clock.
Finding our seats was made immensely easier by the usher pointing at them and uttering that time-honoured phrase: “There they are!” Our view of the stage was pretty good, with only the extreme left-hand side obscured by the balcony we were sat on.
The play itself was excellent. Whilst I don’t even pretend to understand all the metaphors and clever stuff insinuated by the characters actions and speeches, it was incredibly interesting to watch and a marvel to see such wonderful actors in their element. I must admit to thinking “HOLYSHITIT’SPICARDANDGANDALF!!” when they first appeared on stage, but this soon tailed off and I was able to enjoy the show on its on terms. I found myself pretty well riveted and not once thought about the time, even though the first half was a good three quarters of an hour long. I was also rather surprised when Simon Callow walked on as Pozzo as I didn’t even expect other characters in the play (which goes to show how much I knew about it!) and I certainly hadn’t read anything about him in the original newspaper article. Ronald Pickup also appeared as Lucky, whom I’m sorry to say I didn’t know until I looked him up.
After the interval and then the second half, we both left the theatre happier for having experienced the whole thing, but sad that it was over. We noticed a small group of people gathering outside what I assumed to be the stage door, but with a long journey ahead of us we didn’t hang around to meet the stars.
I didn’t take any photos during the play, because that’s just rude, but I did take a few before an afterwards.
