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London and Dublin celebrated Samuel Beckett’s centenary this weekend. A little excerpt of “Waiting for Godot“, one of the most influential plays of the 20th century. It is the play where, according to Vivian Mercier, “Nothing happens, twice”.

Vladimir: Don’t go yet.
Pozzo: I’m going.
Vladimir: What do you do when you fall far from help?
Pozzo: We wait till we can get up. Then we go on. On!
Vladimir: Before you go tell him to sing.
Pozzo: Who?
Vladimir: Lucky.
Pozzo: To sing?
Vladimir: Yes. Or to think. Or to recite.
Pozzo: But he is dumb.
Vladimir: Dumb!
Pozzo: Dumb. He can’t even groan.
Vladimir: Dumb! Since when?
Pozzo: Have you not done tormenting me with your accursed time! It’s abominable! When! When! One day, is that not enough for you, one day he went dumb, one day I went blind, one day we’ll go deaf, one day we were born, one day we shall die, the same day, the same second, is that not enough for you? They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it’s night once more.

And the last lines of each act:

Vladimir: Well? Shall we go?
Estragon: Yes, let’s go.
[they do not move] [curtains down]

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