As I step into the wings, the electric atmosphere washes over me. The crowd is a sea of expectant faces, their collective energy palpable even from behind the curtain. Ben Whishaw, playing Vladimir, stands in his cubbyhole space, looking beautiful and awkward at the same time. We share a hug, our eyes locking as we both feel the adrenaline coursing through us. The familiar rush of pre-show nerves is back, but it's tempered by excitement and anticipation.
My breathing remains steady, but my heart is racing with the thrill of performing again after five years away from the stage. This feeling was my bread and butter for decades, and I've missed it dearly. As I glance over at Ben, we share a moment of understanding, our hands clasped together in the darkness. The call comes from the deputy stage manager, Sophie Rubenstein: "That's front of house clearance, guys." Terror surges inside me, but we're off.
As we step onto the platform, Ben takes his position under the tree, while I settle into mine. Just before I sit, I notice Jenny Grand, our company stage manager, waiting to rotate the platform. I give her a peace sign and wave it goodbye as we begin. The curtain rises, and the crowd erupts into laughter and applause. My mind goes blank, but Ben's voice brings me back on track.
The first act unfolds with Jonathan Slinger's Pozzo delivering a masterclass in vocal control, effortlessly navigating his character's stream-of-consciousness monologue. Tom Edden's Lucky is another highlight, drawing the crowd in with his charm and wit. I'm struck by their skill and artistry, my own nervous energy momentarily forgotten.
As we take our final bow, basking in the adoration of the crowd, I catch a glimpse of the sea of faces. Young and old, black, white, brown – all united in their love for us. The curtain falls, and we collapse into an elated-exhausted group hug. I burst into tears, and then they're gone as quickly as they came.
Behind the scenes, Beckett's masterpiece has once again captured the hearts of its audience. As a performer, it's moments like these that remind me why I do what I do – to connect with others, to bring alive the words of a genius, and to be part of something greater than myself.
My breathing remains steady, but my heart is racing with the thrill of performing again after five years away from the stage. This feeling was my bread and butter for decades, and I've missed it dearly. As I glance over at Ben, we share a moment of understanding, our hands clasped together in the darkness. The call comes from the deputy stage manager, Sophie Rubenstein: "That's front of house clearance, guys." Terror surges inside me, but we're off.
As we step onto the platform, Ben takes his position under the tree, while I settle into mine. Just before I sit, I notice Jenny Grand, our company stage manager, waiting to rotate the platform. I give her a peace sign and wave it goodbye as we begin. The curtain rises, and the crowd erupts into laughter and applause. My mind goes blank, but Ben's voice brings me back on track.
The first act unfolds with Jonathan Slinger's Pozzo delivering a masterclass in vocal control, effortlessly navigating his character's stream-of-consciousness monologue. Tom Edden's Lucky is another highlight, drawing the crowd in with his charm and wit. I'm struck by their skill and artistry, my own nervous energy momentarily forgotten.
As we take our final bow, basking in the adoration of the crowd, I catch a glimpse of the sea of faces. Young and old, black, white, brown – all united in their love for us. The curtain falls, and we collapse into an elated-exhausted group hug. I burst into tears, and then they're gone as quickly as they came.
Behind the scenes, Beckett's masterpiece has once again captured the hearts of its audience. As a performer, it's moments like these that remind me why I do what I do – to connect with others, to bring alive the words of a genius, and to be part of something greater than myself.
, I mean who doesn't love a good drama-filled evening? But seriously, it's amazing how theatre can just sweep you off your feet (literally, in this case) and transport you to another world for a few hours. I've been binge-watching some old plays on Netflix, and I'm not ashamed to say I've got my own personal 'stage fright' 
i mean dont get me wrong, ben whishaw looks AMAZING btw 
but come on, its just theatre, calm down 
, performing is like a rush but also super nerve wrecking 
! i remember when i saw this play in london last year it was so powerful & emotional 
. ben whishaw as vladimir was insane 
his chemistry with jonathan slinger's pozzo was on point 
. and the fact that everyone in the audience was just vibin with each other regardless of age or background is just so beautiful 
it's moments like these that remind me why art & performance matter 
... Can't even get a decent conversation going without some drama behind the scenes. This article about the play is actually pretty cool though - I love how the author captures the energy of the performance and the connection with the audience. But seriously, can we please get rid of these weird formatting issues on this forum? It's like they're trying to make it harder for us to read 
...
ben whishaw is looking good tho 
and can we talk about the production design? 
Don't get me wrong, Jonathan Slinger's Pozzo and Tom Edden's Lucky were on point, but some of the other actors felt a bit...off to me 
Still, it was amazing to see how the entire cast came together to bring this iconic play to life 
️
... what if the true mastermind behind this production is actually some powerful corporation trying to brainwash us with Beckett's masterpiece? 
And those stage managers, Sophie Rubenstein and Jenny Grand, are just puppets doing their corporate masters' bidding 
... I mean, what's really going on behind the scenes of this theater production? 
. it's like they're trying to confuse us on purpose. i swear, i've spent more time figuring out how to use this thing than actually watching the shows 
. and what's with all the "recommended for you" stuff? can't just play whatever i want? 
but what really got me was how well they brought out the emotions of the characters. ben whishaw as vladimir tho 
. It just goes to show that live theater is still where it's at 
It's like they were born to play these roles together! I'm literally swooning over here 
I mean, Ben Whishaw's got his iconic roles under his belt, but is this just another fad? Will we see a wave of amateur thespians flooding socials with their "artistic" performances 
their chemistry is undeniable. and can we talk about tom edden's lucky for a second? 