Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are to star in a stage production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, it was announced today.
The actors, who appeared together in the X-Menfilms, are to appear in Beckett's landmark play next year in London.
Sir Ian (69) will play Estragon and Stewart (68) has been cast as fellow tramp Vladimir in the touring production. The characters famously spend their whole time waiting for the mysterious Godot in the Beckett play.
Waiting for Godotexploded on to the London stage more than 50 years ago after receiving its world premiere in Paris in 1953. Irish writer, dramatist, critic and poet Beckett , wrote in French and English and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969.
The production will be Lord of the Ringsstar Sir Ian's debut in a Beckett play, despite the actor having notched up a string of stage credits.
The Theatre Royal Haymarket production will be directed by Sean Mathias, who directed Sir Ian in Uncle Vanyaat the National Theatre.
Waiting for Godotwill open at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London in May after touring venues in Malvern, Milton Keynes, Brighton, Bath, Norwich, Edinburgh and Newcastle.
PA