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THE WAITING GAME ***NEW***

The Waiting Game gate-theatre-national-tour-johnny-murphy%2c-alan-stanford-and-barry-mcgovern-in-%27waiting-for-godot%27-by-samuel-beckett-photo-anthony-woods Image Name: The Waiting Game gate-theatre-national-tour-johnny-murphy%2c-alan-stanford-and-barry-mcgovern-in-%27waiting-for-godot%27-by-samuel-beckett-photo-anthony-woods Description: The Waiting Game - Johnny Murphy Alan Stanford and Barry McGovern in Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. Photo: Anthony Woods
The Waiting Game 10-stephen-brennan-and-alan-stanford-in-the-gate%27s-production-of-samuel-beckett%27s-waiting-for-godot-photo-anthony-woods Image Name: The Waiting Game 10-stephen-brennan-and-alan-stanford-in-the-gate%27s-production-of-samuel-beckett%27s-waiting-for-godot-photo-anthony-woods Description: The Waiting Game - Stephen Brennan and Alan Stanford in The Gate's production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot Photo: Anthony Woods
The Waiting Game 7-johnny-murphy%2c-alan-stanford-and-barry-mcgovern-in-the-gate%27s-production-of-samuel-beckett%27s-waiting-for-godot-photo-anthony-woods Image Name: The Waiting Game 7-johnny-murphy%2c-alan-stanford-and-barry-mcgovern-in-the-gate%27s-production-of-samuel-beckett%27s-waiting-for-godot-photo-anthony-woods Description: The Waiting Game - Johnny Murphy, Alan Stanford and Barry McGovern in The Gate's production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot Photo: Anthony Woods
The Waiting Game, RTÉ One, December 20th at 10.20pm 
In 1988, The Gate Theatre staged an acclaimed version of Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” – the most performed play of the twentieth century. It had been personally approved by the author shortly before his death, and was directed by Walter Asmus, who had been Beckett’s assistant on the only occasion when he directed the play. The set was deslgned by the late Louis le Brocquy.
The cast that appeared in the Gate’s original production – Stephen Brennan, Alan Stanford, Barry McGovern and Johnny Murphy – continued to play the same parts in the play over the next twenty years. During that time,  the production toured all over the world –  receiving rave reviews – but it had never toured Ireland.
In 2008, it was decided to mark the twentieth anniversary of this unique production by embarking on the most ambitious theatrical tour of Ireland that had ever been undertaken. The plan was to perform the play in 40 different venues in all 32 counties of Ireland. The production would only play in each of these venues for one night – which meant that each performance was, in effect, an opening night. The tour began in Enniscorthy in County Wexford, and ended in Enniskillen in County Fermanagh. Enniskillen is where Beckett went to school, and might be considered the cradle of his genius.
To say the least, this tour was extremely ambitious – covering more than 5,000 miles in eight weeks – and it proved very demanding of the actors. One of them – Johnny Murphy – had only recently come out of hospital, and the impact of non-stop travel soon made an impact on his health. Despite all the difficulties, the tour was completed successfully. The production played to sell-out audiences in every corner of Ireland – and Johnny Murphy never missed a performance, or a cue. The closing night of the production was also the last time that Johnny appeared on any stage: this much-loved actor died in February of this year.
This film covers the reality of life on the road for a troupe of veteran actors, and reveals some of the ways in which they supported and sustained each other in what were, at times, very difficult circumstances. It also reveals the deep understanding and commitment that each of them felt for Beckett’s work – and how some of the themes of his extraordinary play were mirrored in their lives.