Waiting for Godot ( ) is an
absurdist play by
Samuel Beckett, in which two characters,
Vladimir and
Estragon, wait endlessly and in vain for the arrival of someone named Godot. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, have led to many interpretations since the play's 1953 premiere. It was voted "the most significant English language play of the 20th century".
Waiting for Godot is Beckett's translation of his own original French version, , and is subtitled (in English only) "a
tragicomedy in two acts". The original French text was composed between 9 October 1948 and 29 January 1949. The première was on 5 January 1953 in the Théâtre de Babylone, Paris. The production was directed by
Roger Blin, who also played the role of
Pozzo.