Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen To Team Up For 'Godot'?

 Variety is reporting that powerhouse UK actors Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen will be teaming up to help save the struggling Theatre Royal Haymarket. Rumor has it that the two actors will play the clowns Pozzo and Lucky in Beckett's classic Waiting For Godot. All proceeds will go to benefit the Haymarket.

Stewart's most recognized for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the "Star Trek: Next Generation" TV series and films; and also starred in the hit American movie trilogy "X-Men" as Professor Xavier.  Stewart headlined in the Royal Shakespeare Company's The Tempest (directed by Goold) and Anthony and Cleopatra.    Next in his RSC repertoire is the role of Claudius in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2008 season production of David Tennant's Hamlet. In addition to his television and cinematic fame, Stewart has an esteemed stage record, including many Broadway and West End performances: West End revivals of A Life in the Theatre by David Mamet, The Master Builder by Ibsen, and The Merchant of Venice with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He recently received an Oliver and Tony nomination for his work in Macbeth.

Olivier Award-winner McKellen received a Tony Award for his performance in Amadeus, and was nominated for his work in Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare. Other Broadway credits include Dance of Death, Wild Honey and The Promise. Perhaps best-known to most for his performances in The Lord of the Rings trilogy (for which he received an Oscar nomination) and the X-Men franchise (along with Stewart), he has also appeared in films as Apt Pupil, Gods and Monsters (in which he received his first Oscar nomination), Bent and Six Degrees of Separation, as well as The Da Vinci Code.

Waiting For Godot is an absurdist piece by Samuel Beckett where the characters all sit around and wait for Godot, who never arrives. They claim Godot to be an acquaintance but in fact hardly know him, admitting they wouldn't recognize him if they saw him. To occupy themselves they eat, sleep, talk, argue, sing, play games, exercise, swap hats, and contemplate suicide. The play is considered by many to be the most significant work of the twentieth century and because of its vague nature it has been open to countless interpretations and adaptations.  It explores various questions of biblical, philosophical, political, and existential nature.

Photo Credit Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

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