LONDON based Godot Theatre Company is touring Ireland extensively with three short Beckett plays and with Beckett’s great publisher, John Calder. Put aside the night of Monday February 6 to see ‘Rough for Theatre’, ‘That Time’ and ‘Rockaby’ unfold from 8pm onwards. Theatre will be followed by a Q&A with Calder on the shows and on his friendship/ career with the playwright. Millennium Theatre at LIT, Moylish will be the venue. Students and the wider community are most welcome and theatre promoter Richard Ryan has pinned tickets price at €7 in the interests of egalitarianism. Samuel Beckett would smile.
“John Calder and director Peter Marinker co-founded The Godot Company in 2003. So far it has brought Beckett plays to Ireland in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, and to Limerick at either Belltable Arts Centre or Friar’s Gate”.
The doughty Calder, he of three-piece suit, bowler hat and cane, has accompanied most shows, sharing his experiences as Beckett’s publisher, drinking buddy and friend over decades.
“Godot Theatre Company has two Irish actors in this three-strong cast for the three plays,” Richard Ryan mentions. “Colette Kelly who does ‘Rockabye’ is an Irish woman. Now in her 60s, she left for work in London 40 years ago. She has done a lot of musicals and was in the original production of ‘Hair’. Oengus McNamara, son of sculptor Des McNamara, left for Britain four or five decades ago and in this tour, is in ‘Rough for Theatre 2’ and ‘That Time’. The third actor is Briton Jim McManus who has just finished a run with ‘The Mousetrap’. Jim acts with Oengus in the first two plays”.
Anticipate an interesting evening dedicated to the genius and effect of Beckett’s work and life, elaborated on subsequently by Calder on Monday 6.
Also Friar’s Gate, Kilmallock on Wednesday 8, 8pm
