On Friday I had the absolute pleasure of attending the preview of Waitin 4 Gaia at Stage@Leeds, one of the more intimate theatres on the Leeds University campus. This preview was an exclusive look at the performance before it starts its run at the Edinburgh fringe festival starting early August.
Written by Rosie Margee, Waitin 4 Gaia is a clever play on Beckett’s Godot, with the two main characters sat contemplating life, love and everything in between. The set is simple yet effective, with minimal yet comical props and innovative placement that makes the set feel bigger than it is. This gives it that desolate feeling of a waiting space, whilst also allowing the audience to focus on the characters. This was of course only helped by the incredible acting; despite there being a total of three characters across the 40-minute play, each was brought to life in a captivating yet simple way, with armfuls of personality and feeling that really gives you that immersive experience.
Admittedly, I am not usually a fan of the few-characters-one-setting (for lack of theatrical knowledge) narrative, often finding them either dull, pretentious or quite often both. However, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the stage; the writing is sardonic, farcical and self-aware. It is certainly a testament to the enduring power of theatre in exploring the human condition. The play is also importantly no longer than it needs to be, with some heart-wrenching moments wrapped up in silly relatability.
It is certainly a play that could captivate a wide demographic – its philosophical for you theatre and literature buffs, yet short and funny enough to keep everyone’s attention. Between the actors, set design and direction, it’s an impressive production. If you’re up for feeling every kind of emotion, I couldn’t recommend this play more.
***** – FIVE STARS