Druid Theatre yesterday announced a major new production of Samuel Beckett’s masterpiece Endgame. Directed by Garry Hynes, Endgame follows the Galway company’s acclaimed production of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot.
Endgame is the tragicomic tale of a man living with his parents and his servant in a world beyond time and place. With nowhere to go and not much to do, they spend their days telling stories and contemplating the absurdity of life.
Druid’s new production will premiere at the Town Hall Theatre this July as part of Galway International Arts Festival 2024. Tickets are on sale now for this limited run and early booking is strongly advised, following recent sell-out runs of DruidO’Casey and The Shadow of a Gunman.
The cast for Endgame includes Druid Ensemble members Aaron Monaghan (OBIE, Lucille Lortel and Irish Times Irish Theatre award-winner ), Marie Mullen (Tony, OBIE and Irish Times Irish Theatre award-winner ) and Rory Nolan (Irish Times Irish Theatre award-winner ) alongside Bosco Hogan (Irish Times Irish Theatre award-winner ).
Endgame marks Druid’s return to the work of Samuel Beckett following their 2016 production of Waiting for Godot. That production toured Ireland and the world for three years, playing to sold-out houses across Ireland, as well as New York, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Edinburgh.
Waiting for Godot earned rave reviews from critics:
‘the best work made of the play in years’ — The Stage
‘the freshest, funniest and most affecting production of the play in at least a quarter of a century’ — The Irish Times
‘a sublime reinvention of a masterpiece’ — The Telegraph
‘Beckett’s masterpiece will make you laugh out loud’ — The Times
‘reminds us that Druid is one of the world’s great acting ensembles’ — The Guardian
It also won multiple awards including Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards for Garry Hynes as Best Director and Rory Nolan as Best Supporting Actor, and a Herald Angel Award for the show’s run at Edinburgh International Festival.
Like all Druid productions, Endgame will be produced in Galway, with costumes created at the company’s Nuns’ Island Costume Department and sets constructed in its Ballybane Set Workshop.
Druid remains the only theatre company in Ireland with its own set workshop. Druid is committed to its home in Galway, generating employment for local theatre professionals and creating entertainment for local audiences and tourists alike.
Garry Hynes, Director of Endgame and Druid’s Artistic Director said they were thrilled with how audiences responded to their production of Waiting for Godot a few years ago so they are really excited to once again explore the work of Samuel Beckett with this new production of Endgame.
“I’m delighted to be heading back into rehearsals with Aaron Monaghan, Marie Mullen, Rory Nolan and Bosco Hogan, four of this country’s greatest actors. It’s a privilege to work with this cast as well as our creative and production teams, and to share their talents with audiences at this year’s Galway International Arts Festival,” she said.
Paul Fahy, Galway International Arts Festival’s Artistic Director confirmed that Druid’s production of Endgame will premiere at GIAF 2024 this July.
“Druid’s wonderful reimagining of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, which opened at GIAF 2016, was a truly extraordinary experience. Under what no doubt will be the brilliant direction of Garry Hynes, a stellar cast and terrific creative team, Endgame promises to be one of the theatrical highlights on the Irish stage this year,” he said.
