Beam me up Gandalf…

Posted by Ben Smith

November 4, 2008

The title of this post is Total and Utter Genius even if I do say so myself!!!

But wait, before you denounce me as an arrogant little twerp who has “Gone a little too far this time”, let me first offer my excuses, and the REAL reason I can so highly endorse the title of my own post…

I STOLE IT!

Let me rephrase that…I did not actually steal it, but this special headline was really the brainchild of “Jeff” (our wonderful in-house computer programmer) who sits right opposite me on the third floor of Discount Theatre towers. He had this inspired thought whilst wading though the multitude of 0s + 1s that keep our particular ship in good shape.

So not only is he responsible for the easy and secure booking system you have no doubt come to know and love over the last couple of years, but now he is also going to be my first port of call for snappy blog titles as well!

Another reason this made me smile ominously is that like all the best headlines throughout history, it surreptitiously explains exactly what the subject matter is whilst leaving plenty of room for the required intrigue and infamy that makes this a must-read, eyeball-magnet for all true theatre fans…

Now let’s get to the point; an amazing announcement has just been made that unites two mighty Shakespearian powers into an event that will rock “Mother Theatre” to her very foundations. I’m going to call this next part “One Play to Rule Them All” for reasons that will become very clear.

IAN MCKELLEN AND PATRICK STEWART ARE SET TO STAR IN SAMUEL BECKETT’S

WAITING FOR GODOT

Yes these two home-grown Hollywood heavyweights, and veterans of the stage join forces to play Beckett’s famous Tramps in a special UK tour, but more importantly (for us Londoners anyway) at The Theatre Royal Haymarket!

When “Waiting For Godot” first hit the stage back in the 50’s it was kind of panned by an ultra conservative British public who where too busy smoking on the tube and flogging their children to be bothered about a couple of Hobos merrily passing the time of two days waiting for their elusive Godot.

But as sure as eggs is eggs the play soon ingrained itself into the public consciousness and was promptly hailed as a “Modern Classic” for which Mr. Beckett was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Just to clarify; we’re talking about Sam Beckett the playwright:

Not the Quantum Leaping time traveler:

As Patrick Stewart knows from his many real life experiences aboard the Starship Enterprise, you can’t have a really successful mission in theatre or space without a great captain at the helm…

So to make sure Mekellen and Stewart “Boldly go where no actors have gone before” acclaimed director Sean Mathias will take charge and steer The Good Ship Godot towards “Warp-Ticket-Selling-Speed” when the play opens in April 2009. (ENOUGH WITH THE PUNS ME THINKS!)

By the way, I saw Patrick Stewart at Green Park station last year and was really tempted to run after him like some kind of crazed superfan screaming “Sign me Patrick, Sign me…Sign My Face!!!” though unfortunately I had already tapped-in and had to let him escape. But who knows what might happen when the play opens literally 1 minute form where I work…keep an eye on the London Lite for amazing pictures of me embarrassing myself!

Booking From: Thursday, 30 April 2009
Booking Until: Sunday, 28 June 2009

Venue: Haymarket Theatre Royal
Address: Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4H

P.S Hey Amigo! If you agree that this is definitely a once in a lifetime kind of occasion then I’m sure you’ll want to get your tickets early before they totally sell out: Here’s the Waiting for Godot link.

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