Cascando was written by Samuel Beckett as a radio play, originally in French. It was first broadcast in English in 1963. Now, it has been boldly reimagined by Pan Pan theatre company as a promenade piece.
Listeners arrive at Jermyn Street Theatre where they dump their bags, before being issued with hooded black cloaks, iPods, and headphones. They are lined up single file, the audio track is begun, and they are led in procession around St James’s. With their hoods up tp conceal their headphones, they appear to onlookers like some kind of strange, anachronistic cult or monastic order. Should the weather turn foul, umbrellas are provided, but audience members should bring their own layers for if the weather is chilly, and of course wear comfortable footwear.
If you’re a lover of Beckett or the theatre of the absurd movement, no doubt you’ll find lots to enjoy here: an adequately executed new production of Beckett’s audio play, presented in an intriguing format. The audience’s journey mirrors the journey of the character Woburn, as told by Andrew Bennett’s “Voice” in the play. Like the script, the route taken meanders pointlessly, circling St James’s Square one-and-a-half times and – just when you think it’s over – heading up Eagle Place before immediately doubling back to end up at the theatre. The piece explores the idea of storytelling and performance by making a spectacle of the audience, at whom baffled onlookers may glance or stare. The audience, therefore, become performers and characters in a show that someone else is watching. For those who enjoy picking apart the themes within Beckett’s work, the way this play is presented adds a whole new dimension to unpack.
The music by Jimmy Eadie is effective. Blending strings with electronic elements, it is dread-inducing and repeatedly builds to a climax that, in typical Beckett fashion, never comes. The voice actors give perfectly adequate performances, given the repetitive and vague script doesn’t offer them much to sink their teeth into and director Gavin Quinn has opted for a deliberately monotonous style. This style allows you to settle into a mindless rhythm as you walk along. The overall experience is somewhat meditative.
If you’re not already a Beckett fan, you probably won’t enjoy this experience very much. The script is deliberately vague, opaque, and repetitive; there are no real characters or plot to get invested in, no humour, no excitement, and no payoff. It invites the listener to work hard to try and interpret the meaning, and an understanding of Beckett’s wider body of work will help to provide crucial context in order to attempt this.
If you’re on the fence about booking tickets, bear in mind that the experience isn’t a huge time commitment. Of the 45-minute runtime listed on the Jermyn Street Theatre website, the play only lasts for about 25 minutes, with the rest of the time being allotted for people to arrive and equip their cloaks and iPods.
Overall, Pan Pan’s Cascando is a novel reinterpretation of Beckett’s play, which Beckett fans will find interesting.
Cascando runs until 13th September at Jermyn Street Theatre with tickets available at https://www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk/
Reviewer: Charles Edward Pipe
Reviewed: 2nd September 2025
North West End UK Rating: