The reviews are in! 'Godot' is open!

penny ryan photography

Waiting for Godot has opened to audience acclaim and a four-star review from Australian Book Review!

In this newsletter, have a look at some stunning production photographs of the show, find out what the audience has been saying, and see why Australian Book Review says theatregoers should ‘eagerly await more productions… from the Ravens Theatre Company’.

Waiting for Godot — Phee Broadway Theatre, 212 Barker Street, Castlemaine. 18th September – 3rd October.

Four-star review!

Australian Book Review's former editor and theatre critic Peter Rose came to opening week. This is what he said:

Still in its first year, the Castlemaine-based Ravens Theatre Company is nothing if not ambitious. It opened in June with The Seagull. Now we have Waiting for Godot. The ensemble was created to bring professional productions of classic and contemporary works to audiences in Castlemaine and the wider region. It performs in the Phee Broadway Theatre, a long shoebox of a theatre with excellent sightlines, a good acoustic, and a reasonably deep stage, at the back of which stands Beckett's leafless and cheerless tree, reminiscent of Sidney Nolan's famous one on the cover of Faber's edition. The theatre seats about two hundred people, and on this occasion (the second night of the season) it was full.

The cast is exclusively male. On this occasion the creative team is all-female. Janice Muller directs, Bridget Haylock assists, Viv Hargreaves is responsible for lighting and set design, and Dylan Lumsden does the costumes, all suitably dowdy except for Pozzo's unexpected attire, which is that of an eighteenth-century country squire.

The production opens mildly, with little of the fury that animates most performances of the play. It feels oddly Australian, outbacky, with that devastated landscape we all know. Tim Heath's Vladimir, with his inevitable bowler hat and Chaplinesque walk, is subtle and original from the start, kindly towards Estragon (Gus Read-Hill), who is beaten in every respect. Pozzo's arrival midway through Act One fascinates the tramps and quickens the production. Tim Rogers as Pozzo is vocally commanding and funny to watch, the physical comedy always precise. His Pozzo is unwontedly effeminate, dandified, sympathetic at times, despite his appalling treatment of the enslaved Lucky. ‘Dance, misery,’ he commands. Lucky remains silent until his long, Joycean monologue. Luke Lennox performs this mesmeric, nonsensical rant ringingly and deserves his ovation.

Waiting for Godot is of course the funniest of plays, one that should never be solemnised with polite silence in the stalls. Its vaudeville roots are clear, as is the influence of the Marx Brothers… In this production the comedy is carefully judged, heeding Beckett's brilliant stagecraft and mastery of timing. (The lengthy shtick with the swapping of hats is neatly done.)…

So, what's it all about, this late miracle of vaudeville? Here we recall Edward Albee's testy retort to one mystified fan: ‘It's about two hours and thirty minutes, that's what it's about.’

‘Rien à faire’, goes Estragon's famous line — nothing to be done. Nothing to be done, that is, but stage it, renew it, relish it, and eagerly await more productions of this thoughtfulness and quality from the Ravens Theatre Company.

Production photographs

Castlemaine photographer Penny Ryan has been cataloguing rehearsals over the last few weeks. Here we share some of her stunning production photographs that show our actors in action and highlight the wonderful set of Viv Hargreaves and costumes by Dylan Lumsden.

penny ryan photography

Thank you to our audiences…

We are so grateful to our wonderful audiences who not only support The Ravens with their attendance but also take the time to let us know what they think of the production by filling out our audience survey. We've been overwhelmed by the response. Here are just a few of the audience responses.

• “Sensational performances — heartrending, funny and profound! 5/5”
• “The acting was superb!! Also love that it's accessible to us by being local and affordable. 5/5”
• “Taking my 12 year old to his first ‘adult theatre’ experience. Thank you so much for bringing us THIS work. 5/5”
• “Simple yet evocative set and costume. Passionate acting, effective direction especially in terms of use of physical space and use of weighted silences. 5/5”
• “Loved the whole production — lighting, stage design, costumes, direction, acting, all of it. 5/5”
• “One of the greatest theatre experiences in my life. The director has created an unforgettable retelling of this story that is more relevant than ever and stays true to its purpose and ideas.”

penny ryan photography

We got merch!

Tote bags — $30. Printed by local legends Oni Streetwear in Hargreaves St, with two designs to choose from. Sturdy, with an internal pocket. Postage or local pick up.

Ravens pin — $8. Put a bird on it! Make those winter coats sing (or croak) with a show of support for Castlemaine's newest theatre company. Postage or local pick up.

Message us via our contact page with your order.

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From Castlemaine, with love —

The Ravens