The Stage Review

"a noble and faultless staging of a timeless piece" 

This two-act production of Beckett’s classic is played out on an ultra- simple set dressed only by the energetic gymnastics of the cast with, of course, the tree and mound.

For those who aren’t familiar with the play, the plot concerns a pair of tramps, Vladimir (Angus Brown) and Estragon (Steve Jacobs), and their endless waiting for Godot. Who or what Godot might be is never explained, but the pair indulge in reams of aimless dialogue and midless antics as they pass the time. In Miracle’s production the duo’s interplay is mesmerising and totally convincing, ranging from bewildering logic and dark philosophy through to comical wordplay and the pure slapstick of the Marx Brothers. The pair are joined in their sweet agony by the arrival of Pozzo (Benjamin Dyson) and his gormless, long suffering slave, Lucky (Ciaran Clarke). As for Clarke, when he finally speaks, he becomes a powerhouse of gibberish. Catherine Lake adds able support as the messenger boy.

This is a noble and faultless staging of a timeless piece, but what does it all mean? Even Beckett himself gave precious little away, and that is the beauty of it.

Review by Mike Martin, The Stage, Published on line 20.6.13