24
2 25 1
3
2a
8
9
1a
7 5
19
28
23
31 37
33 15
29
20
43
16 10
38
27
18
14
17
12
42
36
34
11
26
22
21
30
39
35
32
48
41
40
13
6
44
52
47
65 58
51
4
62
59 57 63 54 55 49
67
61 56
46
66
60
50
68
64
45
92 103
69 53
93 102
74
2b
1a
70
99
78 73 86
101
88
82
75
100
95
106
98 87
77 71
89
104
85
83 72
76
90 84
81
79
80
96
91
105 94
97
WAITING FOR GODOT
TRAGICOMEDY IN 2 ACTS BY SAMUEL BECKETT TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL FRENCH TEXT BY THE AUTHOR
Copyright © 1954 by MBP; copyright © renewed 1982 by Samuel Beckett Copyright renewed © 1982 by Samuel Beckett All rights reserved. No part of this bok may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, or the facilitation thereof, includind the information storage and retrieval systems, without permissions in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Any members of educational institutions wishing to photocopy part or all of the work for classroom use, or publisher who would like to obtain permissions to include the work in an anthology, should send their inquireis to MBP 363 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10016 CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that Waiting for Godot is subject to a royalty. it is fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and all British Commonwealth countries, and all countries covered by the International Copyright Union, the Pan-American Copyright Convention, and the Universal Copyright Convention. All rights Including professional, amateur, motion picture, recitation, publich readinf, radio broadcasting, television, video or sound taping, all other forms of mechanical or electronic reproduction, such as information storage and retrival systems and photocopying, and rights od translation into foreign languages, are strictly reserved. First-class professional applications for permission to perform it, and those other rights stated above, must be made in advance, before rehearslas begin, to Hui Min Lee, Inc., 363 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10016. Stock and amateur applications to perform it, and those other rights stated above, must be made in advance, before rehearsals begin, to Dramatistis Play Service, Inc., 440 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016 Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 36-3690 ISBN-10: 0-1215-8736-9 ISBN-13: 917-0-8056-1431-2 MBP Mark Batty Publisher, LLC 36 West 37th Street, Suite 409 New York, NY 10018 Distributed by Publishers Group Zara markbattypublisher.com 91 78 05 61 431 215 870
When I first approached Samuel Beckett’s play ‘Waiting for Godot,’ my reaction to the book was very different at the beginning than it was at the end. It was hard for me to relate to the play —to it’s characters, their manner of interaction, the speed and atmosphere— until I slowly realized that the play was trying to tell me something I had not anticipated. I had to wait until the end of the book for an answer, and then I experienced a ‘Eureka!’ moment that explained everything I needed to know. I turned my personal experience reading this play into a conceptual book project. My main approach to this book was to create an interaction between the audience, the play and the book. I started out by creating a ‘connectthe-dot’ alphabet that would replace the dialogue in the play, so the reader is forced to decipher the text before being able to read it. My intention is to create a moment of experience that echoes the deep meaning of the play. I invite the reader of MY book to undergo the same experience of realization that I had.
ACT I Country road. A tree. Evening.
Estragon, sitting on a low mound, is trying to take off his boot. He pulls at it with both hands, panting. He gives up, exhausted, rests, tries again. As before. Enter Vladimir. ESTRAGON: VLADIMIR:
(giving up again).
. ’
(advancing with short, stiff strides, legs wide apart).
.
,
,
, ’
,
. (He broods, musing on the struggle. Turning to Estragon.)
.
. ESTRAGON: VLADIMIR:
? ’ . .
ESTRAGON:
.
VLADIMIR:
! ’ .
ESTRAGON: VLADIMIR:
?
(He reflects.)
(irritably). (hurt, coldly).
-
? ESTRAGON: VLADIMIR: ESTRAGON:
(admiringly).
?
!
(without gesture).
VLADIMIR:
ESTRAGON:
? .
VLADIMIR:
?
ESTRAGON:
’
?
.
VLADIMIR:
... ... ...
... ’
(Decisively.)
-
, . ESTRAGON: VLADIMIR:
? ’
(gloomily). .
-
(Pause. Cheerfully.) ’ ’ , .
, . ESTRAGON:
. VLADIMIR:
, -
.
’
-
. ’
.
(Estragon tears at his boot.) ?
ESTRAGON:
.
? VLADIMIR:
’
. ’ ESTRAGON:
?
(feebly).
!
VLADIMIR: ESTRAGON:
? (angrily).
! !
VLADIMIR:
(angrily).
’ .
. ’ ’ . . ESTRAGON: VLADIMIR:
! (angrily).
! !
ESTRAGON:
(pointing). .
VLADIMIR:
(stooping).
-
(He buttons his fly.)
ESTRAGON:
, . (musingly).
VLADIMIR:
...
(He meditates.) -
, ? ’
ESTRAGON:
? -
VLADIMIR:
. . feels about inside it, shakes it, puts it on again.) ?
(He takes off his hat, peers inside it,
ESTRAGON:
, .
VLADIMIR:
. ESTRAGON:
. Silence.
VLADIMIR:
, .
. ESTRAGON:
-
. ’
VLADIMIR:
. ’
ESTRAGON: VLADIMIR:
.
ESTRAGON:
. ? ESTRAGON:
.
VLADIMIR:
...
(pause.)
... ’
. ’
?
. ! ? ESTRAGON:
(with exaggerated enthusiam).
’
VLADIMIR:
.
. ’
. ’ . ,
. ! ESTRAGON:
?
VLADIMIR: ESTRAGON:
’
? .
VLADIMIR:
.
ESTRAGON:
.
VLADIMIR: ESTRAGON:
. ?
VLADIMIR:
.
ESTRAGON:
.
VLADIMIR:
, ESTRAGON:
?
VLADIMIR: ESTRAGON:
.
? ’
? .
VLADIMIR:
.
?
ESTRAGON:
. (He proffers the remains of the carrot to Vladimir.)
?
A terrible cry, close at hand. Estragon drops the carrot. They remain motionless, the together make a sudden rush towards the wings. Estragon stops halfway, runs back,picks up the carrot, stuffs it in his pocket, runs to rejoin Vladimir who is waiting for him, stops again, runs back, picks up his boot, runs to rejoin Vladimir. Huddled together, shoulders hunched, cringing away form the menace, they wait. Enter Pozzo and Luckey. Pozzo drives Luckey by means of a rope passed round his neck, so that Lucky is the first to enter, followed by the rope which is long enoght to let him reach the middle of the stage before Pozzo appears. Lucky carries a heavy bag, a folding stool, a picnic basket and a greatcoat,Pozzo a whip. POZZO:
(off).
!
(Crack of whip. Pozzo appears. They cross the stage. Luckey passed before Vladimir and Estragon
and exit. Pozzo at the sight of Vladimir and Estragon stops short. The rope Tautens. Pozzo jerks at it violently.) -
!
Noise of Lucky falling with all his baggage. Vladimir and estragonturns towards him, half wishing halffearing to go to his assistance. Vladimir takes a step towards Lucky, Estragon holds him back by the sleeve. VLADIMIR:
!
ESTRAGON:
!
POZZO:
!
’
(Vladimir and Estragon turn towards Pozzo.) ESTRAGON:
(undertone).
. ?
? (trying to remember the name). VLADIMIR:
...
?
ESTRAGON:
.
POZZO:
: .
VLADIMIR:
(to Estragon).
! ?
ESTRAGON:
.
’ . ’ ESTRAGON:
. ’
!
. .
. ESTRAGON:
?
.
VLADIMIR:
. ’
? .
VLADIMIR:
.
. .
VLADIMIR: ESTRAGON:
. ?
VLADIMIR:
.
ESTRAGON:
.
VLADIMIR:
, ESTRAGON:
?
POZZO: ESTRAGON:
.
? ’
? .
VLADIMIR:
.
?
, . ESTRAGON:
. VLADIMIR:
, -
.
’
-
. ’
. ? ESTRAGON:
.
VLADIMIR:
’
. ’
?
ESTRAGON:
!
VLADIMIR: ESTRAGON:
? ! !
VLADIMIR:
’ .
. ’ ’ . . ESTRAGON:
!
VLADIMIR:
! !
ESTRAGON:
. VLADIMIR:
-
ESTRAGON:
, . ...
VLADIMIR:
-
, ? ’
ESTRAGON:
? -
VLADIMIR:
. .
?
ESTRAGON:
. (He proffers the remains of the carrot to Vladimir.)
? ’
? . .
POZZO:
, .
. . VLADIMIR:
?
ESTRAGON:
!
POZZO:
!
’
(Vladimir and Estragon turn towards Pozzo.) ESTRAGON:
(undertone).
. ?
? (trying to remember the name). VLADIMIR:
...
?
ESTRAGON:
.
POZZO:
: .
VLADIMIR:
(to Estragon).
! ?
ESTRAGON:
.
’ . ’ ESTRAGON:
. ’
!
. .
. ESTRAGON:
?
.
VLADIMIR:
. ’
? .
VLADIMIR:
.
. .
POZZO:
. ?
VLADIMIR:
.
ESTRAGON:
.
VLADIMIR:
, ESTRAGON:
.
?
POZZO:
? ’
? -
ESTRAGON: VLADIMIR:
. .
?
ACT II Next day. Same time. Same place.
Estragon’s boots front center, heels together,toes splayed. Lucky’s hat at same place. The tree has four or five leaves. Enter Vladamir agitatedly. He halts and looks long at the tree, then suddenly begins to move feverishly about the stage. He halts before the boots, picks one up, examines it, sniffs it, manifests disgust, puts it back carefully. Comes and goes. Halts extreme right and gazes into distance off, shading his eyes with his hand. Comes and goes. Halts extreme left, as before. Comes and goes. Halts suddenly and begins to sing Loudly. VLADIMIR:
Having begun too high he stops, clears his throath, resumes: . ’ . ’
.
. ? . He stops, broods, resumes: ’
. ’
?
. ! ?
’ .
. ’
. ’ . ,
. ! ?
’
? .
VLADIMIR:
.
ESTRAGON:
.
VLADIMIR: ESTRAGON:
. ?
VLADIMIR:
.
ESTRAGON:
.
VLADIMIR:
, ESTRAGON:
?
VLADIMIR: ESTRAGON:
.
? ’
? .
VLADIMIR:
.
?
, . ESTRAGON:
. VLADIMIR:
, -
.
’
-
. ’
.
(Estragon tears at his boot.) ?
ESTRAGON:
.
? VLADIMIR:
’
. ’ ESTRAGON:
?
(feebly).
!
VLADIMIR: ESTRAGON:
? (angrily).
! !
VLADIMIR:
(angrily).
, . ESTRAGON:
. VLADIMIR:
, -
.
’
-
. ’
.
(Estragon tears at his boot.) ?
ESTRAGON:
.
? VLADIMIR:
’
. ’ ESTRAGON:
?
(feebly).
!
VLADIMIR: ESTRAGON:
? (angrily).
! !
VLADIMIR:
(angrily).
’ .
. ’ ’ . . ESTRAGON: VLADIMIR:
! (angrily).
! !
ESTRAGON:
(pointing). .
VLADIMIR:
-
(stooping).
ESTRAGON:
, -
(musingly). VLADIMIR:
...
(He meditates.) -
, ? ’
ESTRAGON:
. They do not move.
Curtain