Library Journal Review

Welcome to Theatreland, a video series filmed over six months at London's Theatre Royal Haymarket. Cameras follow every aspect of the company's production of Samuel Beckett's masterpiece Waiting for Godot starring Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart. No one escapes scrutiny, from the laundry mistress to the chair of Haymarket's board, and all contribute to an understanding of the process and what working in the theater means to them. Viewers will likely be surprised at how gritty and unglamorous the real world of theater production is. A fascinating aspect of the film comes from comments made while the play progresses in real time, a sort of reality television for the upper crust. Even prospective ticket buyers queuing in traditional English fashion are questioned about what brought them to this particular play. For those wondering, the procedures are not that different from what happens on this side of the pond. In fact, this Godot had a very successful run on Broadway following -Haymarket. Verdict Nirvana for the already initiated, but eight episodes (including a stage production of Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's) may be too detailed for the casual viewer.-Gerald A. Notaro, emeritus, Univ. of South Florida Lib., St. Petersburg (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.