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Waiting for Godot

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About this listen

There is now no doubt that not only is Waiting for Godot the outstanding play of the 20th century, but it is also Samuel Beckett's masterpiece. Yet it is both a popular text to be studied at school and an enigma. The scene is a country road. There is a solitary tree. It is evening. Two tramp-like figures, Vladimir and Estragon, exchange words. Pull off boots. Munch a root vegetable. Two other curious characters enter. And a boy. Time passes. It is all strange yet familiar. Waiting for Godot casts its spell as powerfully in this audiobook recording as it does on stage.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©Beckett Estate (P)2005 Naxos Audiobooks Classics Drama & Plays European World Literature Funny Witty

Critic reviews

"This audio version of one of the 20th century's most significant plays is fascinating... the performances are powerful and full of conviction, and the conclusion, in the author's own words, that 'nothing happens,' is - as ever - not the whole story." ( Sunday TimesAudio Book of the Week)
All stars
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Wonderfully characterised. I never get tired of listening to this masterwork. I highly recommend it.

Magnificent Performance

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An admirable demonstration of how to transfer a stage play to audio only. The performances show the way that familiarity is the basis for friendship and cruelty, the importance of companionship which is more than enforced proximity.

An excellent production

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interesting story to listen to. not 100% sure what it's really about but I'll enjoy working it out.

short and sweet.

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It is hard to review Waiting for Godot as it is the most bizarre, utterly absurd title I have listened to. Ever since we read abstract of it in the school all those years ago, I wanted to read the whole thing but never got around to actually doing it. Audiobook seemed like the perfect scenario to finally getting to know why is this piece of art held in high esteem by many.

After listening to the first 10 minutes, I was totally ready to turn it off, ask for refund and forget about it. It was disorienting and nothing made sense. However I kept on listening just for sake of it. After another 10 minutes however, I did not need to force myself anymore because I was completely hooked and I did not understand why.

As the story progresses It is not making any more sense but confusing you more and more. You have literally no idea what is actually going on, but somewhat it makes you feel that you just cant stop listening and want more. Ending does not help at all, it does not tie anything up.

After I was done with it, I have started to reflect on what I just heard and then it all clicked.

The genius of this title is that it is intentionally written in the way of confusing you and making you go mad. For example, author throws in this "bones" of moments when it seems that the story shows some progress and starts to make some sense, only to confuse you even more and screw anything you thought you understand a moment later. It is a trap. There is no "making sense of it" here, because everything makes sense and nothing makes sense at the same time. That is the best way I can describe this book.

Performance wise It is sometimes hit and miss. It is made like staged play so you hear characters make noises which represents what are they doing at the moment. The narrators are something trying too hard to making too dramatic which sometimes makes it hard to understand them through all those noises.


Overall, I highly recommend this absurdity, go in with open mind and enjoy it.

Bizarre

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I imagine that anyone who is interested in Waiting For Godot will be familiar with the oft quoted review by Vivian Mercier; "...a play in which nothing happens, twice.”

I am in the process of listening to this over and over again as I will shortly be playing Vladimir in a local production and am using this as an 'aide-memoire'.

This particular production works well and is eminently listenable. If I have one criticism it is that the character voices of Vladimir and Estragon in this production are crudely similar which, with no visual clues to guide, can lead to occasional confusion as to who is who though, in the context of the play, this is hardly important!

Recommended.

A Walk On The Absurd Side

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