Nathan Lane to Join Irwin in Broadway Bound 'Godot'?

Michael Riedel of the New York Post is reporting this morning that the New York Broadway revival of Waiting for Godot is still on-- and that star Bill Irwin will be joined by Nathan Lane on stage. Irwin will be playing Vladamir to Lane's Estragon.

Yesterday Seattle Reperatory Theatre announced the cancellation of the same production of Waiting for Godot (minus Lane) after the loss of a financial backer.

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.

This will be the second high profile production of Waiting for Godot for Bill Irwin. He has previously starrred as Lucky in Mike Nichols 1988 revival alongside Robin Williams and Steve Martin. He has also starred as George in the 2005 Broadway revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woof? 

Lane, most recently on Broadway in November, is a two-time Tony winner--for The Producers in 2001, and for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 1996. Other Broadway credits include Butley, The Odd Couple, The Frogs, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Guys and Dolls, Wind in the Willows, Merlin and Present Laughter. He has been seen on screen in Nicholas Nickelby, the Stuart Little films, Love's Labour's Lost, The Birdcage, Jeffrey and more; he also leant his voice to The Lion King.

Photo Credit: Linda Lenzi