Ben Whishaw and Lucian Msamati to star in West End Waiting for Godot

A new revival of Samuel Beckett’s seminal play Waiting for Godot is slated to debut at Theatre Royal Haymarket in September 2024.

Waiting for Godot revolves around Didi and Gogo, who anxiously await the arrival of an enigmatic figure named Godot, grappling with themes of uncertainty and the intricacies of the human experience.

James Macdonald will direct, while the cast includes Lucian Msamati (Amadeus) in the role of Estragon and Ben Whishaw (Paddington) portraying Vladimir. Specific dates and additional casting details are yet to be disclosed.
Msamati said today: “The wait has been worth it! I look forward to making merry mischief with James Macdonald for the first time and a too long overdue reunion with the creative brilliance and genuine spirit that is Ben Whishaw”.

Whishaw added: “When I was 18 I was doing an art foundation course in Bedford and went one night with a friend to London to see a play that was part of a season of plays by Samuel Beckett at the Barbican Theatre. The play was Waiting for Godot.

“The next day I dropped out of my art course, having decided I wanted to study acting instead. I am unbelievably thrilled and excited – and a little terrified too – to be having this chance to perform Beckett’s utterly radical and incredibly beautiful play. It has haunted me since that night 25 years ago. And to get to do it with Lucian Msamati and James Macdonald … well, that’s just a dream”.

Producers Kate Horton (Fictionhouse), Len Blavatnik, and Danny Cohen (Access Entertainment), in collaboration with Kate Pakenham Productions, are at the helm of the production.

Ticket sales are set to commence in February 2024.

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