Beckett's Waiting for Godot to Premiere in Ulster Scots at Samuel Beckett Biennale 2026
Samuel Beckett's iconic play Waiting for Godot will have its world premiere in Ulster Scots as part of the Samuel Beckett Biennale in 2026. The outdoor premiere is set to take place on Good Friday, 3 April 2026, on the Antrim Plateau in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, accessible after an approximately 3km uphill trek to the location.
The production carries the working title Ettlin Fur Godot, featuring Ulster Scots stage directions such as 'A loanen. A tree. Dailygan' representing 'A country road. A tree. Evening.' The translation is led by Frank Ferguson, translator and research director at Ulster University’s Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies. This project follows the appointment of a commissioner for Ulster-Scots under the Identity and Language Act.
The Samuel Beckett Biennale will be staged across rural and urban settings in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and England in 2026, with plans to return in 2028. Future festival iterations intend to include translations in Aboriginal Noongar, Sami, and Inuit languages and feature productions with homeless actors.
Ulster Scots is recognized as a language rather than a dialect, with origins tracing back to the 17th-century Scots-speaking plantations. Its revival is contextualized within the post-Good Friday Agreement era.
The festival aims to challenge the prevailing celebrity trend surrounding Godot productions by highlighting language diversity, emphasizing outdoor venues, and promoting inclusive casting. The involvement of high-profile actors such as Keanu Reeves, noted as the latest celebrity to star in Godot, contrasts with this approach.
