Waiting for Godot.

One hundred years ago today one of the greatest writers was born Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) his play Waiting for Godot had an electrifying effect on its audience when it was first produced in this country by the young ebullient talisman Peter Hall later to become the director of The Royal Shakespeare Company and later still the National Theatre after Larry. Hall originally saw the play in Paris and thought it was right for London. I read some time ago the biography by James Knowlson The Life of Samuel Beckett. Beckett had great humanity he couldn't write the way he did without such compassion for us in this solitary wilderness. The now iconic photograph of him by Jane Brown when he was 70 is now at The National Portrait Gallery. He looked like an eagle alert and thoughtful. When I was in Dublin I went to the Beckett Museum and bought a fridge magnet - it is still there - although he is not. Many have misinterpreted his writing - the best exponent was according to Beckett the actor Billy Whitelaw. Her sense of timing was impeccable. I first saw this play at the Royal Court Theatre and it had an indelible impact. I took my daughter and son to see the play an the Barbican Theatre they were similarly impressed. As with Pinter Beckett loved cricket. They would occasional be seen at the home of the game Lords exchanging notes, not about plays or some obscure erudite bit of Shakespeare, but about games they had seen together. Once again cricket come to the rescue.