Mantra Theatre

It was years ago when my teacher stood up in the front of the class telling everybody in that room that she was going to ask us to read one of the best plays ever written, Waiting for Godot. He also promised us that we would love this play. I don’t know about my other friends, but I did end up to love the play.

Samuel Beckett was a genius, and he wrote one of the most incredible play ever. Godot is probably one of the most famous character in the stage performance world. I was struggling with that character back in the school, but as the time went by, I realized this particular Godot had something to do with all of us. The emptiness of him is still relevant even until now which makes the play is a legendary play that will never stop to be performed anywhere in the world.

I had the chance to see the play on stage for one more time last April. As always, the theater was fully packed with people and the tickets were sold out days before the performance day. It was surprising though to know that not all of the people who went to see the play actually knew what they were going to see. The person who sat next to me even wanted to borrow my program to try to look for the plot of the drama. Sadly, of course, there was no plot to be found.

Waiting for Godot is not about story with a clear plot. It is about life, the life that all of us is living. It portrays our passion of something that will come without none of us know what it is. Waiting, is the main topic you find throughout the play, and probably after the play.

The play tells about two friends, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), meeting one evening under a tree. They are waiting for Godot, someone who they never met but promised them that he would come to save them. While they are waiting, they are rambling some unclear conversations and fights some ridiculous fights.

After some time, come two other strangers, Pozzo and Lucky. Pozzo is somehow looked like a lord of manor or something, and Lucky is his slave chained by a string. Pozzo is described to be a mean person, torturing Lucky whenever he can. Lucky is a very strange person who always obey everything his master tell him to do so, including carrying luggage he will never put down until he is told to.

Slapstick is a very dominant aspect in this play. All four characters take turns and collaborate to create slapstick scenes which will make some of the audience laugh. Finally, after some little quarrels, Pozzo and Lucky continue their journey and leave our two main characters. A boy comes right after that, bringing a message from Godot that he cannot come today, but he will definitely come tomorrow.

Finally, there will be many debates about who Godot should represents. Many are convinced that he is supposed to be the representation of God. However, Beckett himself denied that and said that he wouldn’t call him Godot in the first place if it was meant to be God. Godot represents everything we hope to come which we think can make our life a little bit better whether it is a marriage, a promotion, or a child. In the end, the play does represent all of us who are in waiting in mostly all the time of our lives.