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Waiting for Godot

June 2, 2026
Will He Ever Show Up? Reviewed by Mary Alderson In the TV series Seinfeld, the character George Costanza famously pitches the idea of “a show about nothing” to NBC executives. Many people thought that the series itself was about nothing: just the day-to-day mundane activities of four quirky people. Well, Waiting for Godot is a play about nothing, with four quirky characters. Four very strange people, in fact. Now on stage at Stratford’s Festival Theatre, this strange play has a short run, by Stratford standards. It closes July 31, wisely. It was the only show I attended during opening week that didn’t have a sold-out crowd. Written originally in French by Irishman Samuel Beckett in 1954, Waiting for Godot has been called the most important play in “absurdist theatre”. Why? Because it’s absurd. I remember being assigned to read it in university. When I found on my bookcase yesterday, I obviously never read it. The paperback hadn’t been cracked. No pages were turned beyond the first few. I think I realized that nothing much was going to happen, so there was no point in reading further. The cover says it’s a tragicomedy in two acts. It’s a tragedy because of the futility of the lives of the two main characters. It’s a comedy, because sometimes it’s so absurd that it’s funny. Two men, Estragon and Vladimir, appear on stage, dressed like tramps in ragged, dirty old clothes. We assume they are unhoused and hungry, when Vladimir offers Estragon a radish or a turnip. “Are there no carrots?” Estragon asks. Vladimir replies “No. Anyway you overdo it with your carrots.”  That’s a sample of the conversation they have: sometimes it’s friendly, sometimes they argue, but mostly their talk is inane. They are waiting beside a tree in the barren countryside to ...
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Mary's Musings

Capitol Theatre Reveals their 2026 Casting 

March 26, 2026
Some of Canada’s best talent will be on stage at Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre this year. Here are the four popular shows appearing on the main stage, with a sneak peek of the casts.   You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown – May 15 – 31, 2026  Book, Music and Lyrics by Clark Gesner. Additional Dialogue by Michael Mayer. Additional Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa. Directed and choreographed by Rob Kempson, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown features Amir Haidar in the title role, with Jillian Mitsuko Cooper as Sally, AP Bautista as Lucy Van Pelt, Matt Pilipiak as Snoopy, Kyle Golemba as Schroeder, and Ben Kopp as Linus Van Pelt. Life, love, baseball—and an opinionated dog named Snoopy. Based on the beloved comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, this musical comedy chronicles the adventures of Charlie Brown and the entire Peanuts gang. Winner of two Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards. Kyle Golemba, Jillian Mitsuko Cooper, Amir Haidar, Ben Kopp, AP Bautista. Photo by Sam Moffatt Liars at a Funeral – June 12 – 28, 2026 By Sophia Fabiilli June 12 – 28, 2026 Directed by Aaron Jan, Liars at a Funeral features Aidan deSalaiz, Carolyn Fe, Ericka Leobrera, Jane Luk, and Gregory Solomon. Grief has never been so hilarious! When an estranged family gathers to mourn the passing of Mavis, the family matriarch, the funeral erupts into a more dysfunctional family reunion than any of them could have imagined. If everyone can keep it together, they might just break the intergenerational curse and make it out alive! Gregory Solomon, Aidan deSalaiz, Jane Luk, Ericka Leobrera. Photo by Sam Moffatt Come From Away – July 10 – August 2, 2026 Book, Music & Lyrics by Irene Sankoff & David Hein Music Direction by Jeff Newberry Choreography by Genny Sermonia Directed by Rob Kempson, and featuring live music performed by the company, the Capitol’s production of Come From ...
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