I enjoyed this Waiting For Godot like a young bottle of red. It’s still a bit rough, but the skill of its making is evident and its richness and complexity will come with exposure and time.

Cracked Actors was formed in 2007 with the determination to bring “classic” works to the stage. As Samuel Beckett’s Waiting For Godot is a compulsory play for anyone with an interest in theatre, it was a obvious choice for the new company.

This Godot will improve with every performance. It needed the response of an audience to let the pace settle and let the performers trust the text and the humour. Opening night suffered from forced pace and anticipation. The natural rhythm and structure of the work was overridden by enthusiasm and a determination to interpret the well-known text.

This is the play so famously quoted as the one where “nothing happens….twice”. But that doesn’t mean that the audience don’t need to want something to happen.  We know that Godot never arrives. Like watching a loved movie, we know what’s going to happen, but still hope that this time it will be different.  Stories need anticipation and hope. We want to imagine everything that has happened to bring these people to this point and everything that could possibly happen tomorrow. We need to be told the story, not just see the text.

You know you won’t see Godot, but you will see Phil Roberts as Pozzo. Roberts was born to play Pozzo.  His timing is immaculate and his deep understanding of Beckett, his character and the style shine though.  He once played Lucky and I want to see him give Estragon and Vladamir a go. Colin Morley’s also brings a believability, poignancy and almost lovability to Estragon. The rest of the cast just needed to relax into their characters and trust the words. It’s a very funny script, we don’t need to be told when to laugh.

It’s always worth seeing a well known script performed. Sure, we can read them, but plays are written to be performed. Cracked Actors production is a terrific introduction to Waiting For Godot and I look forward to seeing what great work they show us next.