Druid's Waiting for Godot at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin

Druid's Waiting for Godot at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin

On Wednesday 26^th April last I had a very entertaining, engaging and uplifting theatre experience at Druid’s production of “Waiting for Godot” at The Abbey Theatre, Dublin.

This very entertaining, different, fresh and uplifting interpretation is presented in an apt and visually satisfying set designed by scenographer Francis O’Connor. Considering the prescriptiveness of designing a Samuel Beckett play, Francis O’Connor presents the audience with an appropriate and appealing design solution and a setting that provides a focused and defined performance space for the Beckett’s characters.

The production was directed by Garry Hynes, Set and Costumes Designed by Francis O’Connor, Lighting Design by James F Ingalls, Hair/Wigs and Make-up Design Val Sherlock, Sound Design Greg Clarke, Costume Supervisor Doreen McKenna

Francis O’Connor presents the performance space as a symbolic portal into another place, another time, a place of timelessness. The portal to this place/space is rim-lit by a vertical and horizontal boarder of white Perspex light boxes. The action takes place both in vision and out of vision of this defined space as viewed through the porta. The surface beyond the portal is of dried, cracked earth; barren except for a lone skeletal tree and a large rounded egg like rock to stage left. The background is a massive wall of site cast concrete faintly showing the imprint left on the surface from the removal of the shuttering used in on site casting. The visual effect is both infinity, light, sky and at times close, massive, claustrophobic.

The €2 programme gave the usual list of cast and crew, notes on the cast, a note by Colm Tóibín on Waiting for Godot, information on the staff of both Druid and The Abbey.

Garry Hynes:               https://www.nuigalway.ie/drama/staff/garryhynes/

           

Francis O‘ Connor:      http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/francis-oconnor/

James F Ingalls:          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_F._Ingalls

Val Sherlock:               http://stageandscreendesignireland.ie/designers/val-sherlock/

                                    http://design.irishtheatreinstitute.ie/designers/val-sherlock/

Greg Clarke:                http://www.unitedagents.co.uk/gregory-clarke

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrpdKr9HEx4

Doreen McKenna:       http://www.irishplayography.com/person.aspx?personid=40298

Samuel Beckett:         http://www.biography.com/people/samuel-beckett-9204239

Druid                           http://www.druid.ie/

Abbey Theatre:           https://www.abbeytheatre.ie/

Dympna Tate:             http://arthauspaint.com/about.html