Samuel Beckett’s landmark 1953 play Waiting for Godot has long been a pillar of the global theatre canon, celebrated for its spare dialogue, existential themes, and haunting absurdity. Yet until very recently, Afrikaans-speaking audiences had no way to experience Beckett’s pared-down poetry in their mother tongue. That changed in May 2025, when veteran translator Pieter van der Merwe released the first fully editioned Afrikaans version—Wag op Godot—opening fresh conversations about language, identity, and the universality of waiting.
Why the Delay?
- Literary Traditions and Priorities
Afrikaans theatre and translation have often prioritized local classics and European dramas in German and Dutch. Godot’s stark minimalism, so distant from the lush realism of early Afrikaans plays, scuttled earlier efforts in favour of more “accessible” texts. - Linguistic Challenges
Beckett’s language is famously elusive: half-sentences, deliberate ellipses, and wordplay hinge on English rhythms. Finding Afrikaans equivalents that capture both the silence and the comedic timing required a translator equally fluent in both idioms and the playwright’s ethos. - Rights and Permissions
Securing Beckett Estate approval for a new translation can be arduous. Van der Merwe spent three years negotiating the rights—an unusually long process for a work so celebrated, reflecting the Estate’s protective stance over Beckett’s legacy.
Translating Absurdity: Van der Merwe’s Approach
- Preserving Pause and Silence
Afrikaans offers a rich palette of colloquial expressions, but for Godot, van der Merwe championed simple, even stilted phrasing—ensuring pauses felt as pregnant in Cape Town studios as on Paris stages. - Reimagining Wordplay
Where Vladimir quips, “Nothing to be done,” van der Merwe opts for “Niks om te maak nie,” retaining the English’s sense of futility while respecting Afrikaans syntax. - Cultural Resonance
Subtle allusions—like Lucky’s extended monologue—lean on idioms familiar to South African audiences, connecting the play’s universal dread to the local history of delayed promises.
What This Means for Afrikaans Theatre
- Repertoire Expansion
With Wag op Godot now available, theatres can stage Beckett alongside Brecht, Sartre, and indigenous dramatists—broadening the canon and attracting new audiences. - Educational Impact
University drama departments are already incorporating the translation into performance and translation studies, giving students hands-on experience with absurdist staging in their own language. - Cultural Dialogue
The production has sparked panel discussions on waiting—both in Beckett’s sense and in the South African context of reconciliation and social change—proving that the play’s themes remain urgently relevant.
Conclusion
The belated arrival of Waiting for Godot in Afrikaans is more than a translation milestone: it’s a testament to the enduring power of theatre to transcend linguistic barriers. By painstakingly rendering Beckett’s silences, jokes, and despair into Afrikaans, Pieter van der Merwe has given local audiences the chance to laugh, reflect, and yes, wait—right alongside Vladimir and Estragon.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Who translated Waiting for Godot into Afrikaans?
Veteran translator and theatre practitioner Pieter van der Merwe, known for his sensitive renderings of existential and modernist texts.
Q2: How long did the translation take?
About five years in total—three spent securing rights from the Beckett Estate, and two refining language choices to capture Beckett’s rhythms.
Q3: Where can I see or read Wag op Godot?
The text is available through Cape Town’s Theatre Arts Press. A premiere staging is scheduled at the Baxter Theatre in August 2025.
Q4: Does this translation change the play’s meaning?
While every translation shifts nuance, van der Merwe’s edition strives to preserve Beckett’s tone, pacing, and thematic weight—offering a faithful but distinctly Afrikaans experience.
Q5: Why is Godot important for modern audiences?
Its themes of waiting, uncertainty, and the search for meaning resonate in any era or language—especially in societies grappling with transition and unfulfilled promises.
Q6: Will other Beckett plays follow in Afrikaans?
Producers and translators are already in talks to bring Endgame and Krapp’s Last Tape to Afrikaans stages in the coming years.
Sources The Conversation
