Samuel Beckett?s play ?Waiting for Godot? is currently playing in the intimate surroundings of the Rock Island Coffee Shop.

The play requires a lot of thought throughout and is not exactly an easy sell ? but it is well worth seeing.

The only way to think of it today is to compare it to the film ?Groundhog Day? ? in which days repeat themselves.

During the play, I continuously asked myself a few questions ? Why are they waiting for Godot? Why doesn?t he show up and put the pair out of their misery? And more importantly Who is Godot and why is he important?

But as the play winds on, one is led to wonder about the meaning of life ? a strange life ? of men waiting for an unknown character, who obviously existed, but doesn?t ? Godot.

The main actors in the Waterspout Production are Andrew Bacon (Vladimir or Didi) and Doug Jones (Estragon or Gogo).

Stephen Notman fills the role of master Pozzo, while James Birch plays the slave Lucky and Sayaka Alexander plays the messenger boy.

The plot of ?Waiting for Godot? is uncomplicated.

It is ostensibly about two tramps, Vladimir and Estragon, who spend the two acts near a barren tree, a raised rock, on a piece of wasted ground, while they wait for Godot.

The pair argue and then make up, make a suicide pact, try and rest, eat a carrot, chew on a chicken bone, they sing,as they decide whether they should continue to wait for Godot.

Two additional characters to appear are master Pozzo (Mr. Notman) and his unlucky slave Lucky (Birch), who perform a bizarre scene during the first act.

Then a young boy (Ms Alexander) arrives at the end of each act to deliver the message that Mr. Godot will not come today.

Godot doesn?t come and the two tramps resume their vigil by the tree, which has sprouted a few leaves by the second act. This is the only symbol of life?s order in this strange world, as everything else is forgotten on a daily basis.

The two hobos are dressed like Chaplin characters ? with bowler hats, in dark worn clothing and tatty boots.

The cast is impressive and Mr. Bacon and Mr. Jones make an excellent double act, instituting both the physical and temperamental differences between the tramps and their mutual dependency in this tragicomedy.

This is a great performance.

Pozzo (Mr. Notman), as the master, is properly boisterous as he plays the character like a blithering aristocrat, while Lucky plays the slave role with all the nervousness that one would expect from him.

There are times when you can?t take your eyes off of poor Lucky, as he is constantly shaking, carrying bags, a chair and a basket for his master Pozzo.

The boy, Sayaka Alexander, has a significant role in the play?s reality, although he spends his time somewhat afraid of the two tramps.

Director John Zuill has placed his production more on a comedic level.

The set design is simple with one tree and a road. At the end of each act, a giant moon rises and the beautiful moonlight fills the stage, which is just beyond the stars.

?Waiting for Godot? is considered a classic example of theatre of the absurd and this production lives up to its reputation.

It was produced by Laszlo Reichel, stage managed by Dionne Devoy and the programme and poster design was done by Alan Smith, Internet by Jeremy Willmott and the properties and wardrobe were done by Barbara Jones.