Reputations can be something of a millstone: if you only vaguely know it, Godot is the play in which nothing happens, twice. But that just isn’t true.
Beckett’s play is definitely absurdist and a potentially challenging watch. Much of the dialogue is circular, and the narrative is meandering and – seemingly – random in places. But it can also be quite eventful.
Phil Davey’s production at the Maddermarket is indisputably a lively one, mostly dispensing with prolonged pauses to come in at around two and half hours with interval. (Some productions break the three hour mark.)
John Davis brings an almost manic, borderline camp vibe to Vladimir, and Richard Carey-Knight’s Pozzo is larger than life. You could probably hear him hollering orders on other side of the city. They definitely do things.
Chris Truman as Lucky is captivating as the boggle-eyed slave, with a brilliant physicality that erupts into a schizophrenic stream of consciousness in his ‘thinking’ monologue. It is an event all in itself.
As Estragon, Andrew Reeve is the quiet heart of the piece, an effortless everyman who never quite wants to remember – fully aware of the futility of life, but finding solace in the initial crunch of a carrot. His portrayal is exquisite, fuss free, and a little heart breaking.
The second, mostly forgotten, part of the critic’s review of the opening production of Godot way back in 1956 is that despite its unusual approach to storytelling it’s a play “that yet keeps audiences glued to their seats”, and they could have added while laughing and thinking too.
This version does all of that. Don’t believe anyone that remembers it otherwise.
- Waiting for Godot continues at Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich until February 15, 2026, tickets £10-£14.
