In a world obsessed with speed, certainty, and resolution, waiting is often dismissed as an inconvenience. Yet, in The Wait—an Absurd Theatre Festival presented by Off-Centre Theatre—waiting becomes the very heartbeat of human existence. Bringing together two landmark works of the Theatre of the Absurd, Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter and Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, the festival invites audiences to pause, reflect, and confront the unsettling question of what it truly means to exist.

Formed in 2022, Off-Centre Theatre Productions is an amateur performance art troupe with an ambitious vision. Since its inception, the group has remained committed to exploring innovative, experiential theatre genres that challenge both performers and audiences alike. The Wait marks a significant milestone in this journey—an artistic deep dive into absurdism, existential anxiety, and the quiet desperation embedded in everyday human routines.

Emerging in the aftermath of World War II, the Theatre of the Absurd rejected conventional storytelling in favour of fragmented narratives, repetitive dialogue, and unresolved endings. Rooted in existential philosophy, it portrays a world stripped of clear meaning, where communication falters and human beings persist despite uncertainty. Playwrights such as Samuel Beckett, Eugène Ionesco, and Harold Pinter used humour, paradox, and silence to expose the fragility of logic and order. The Wait brings this radical theatrical movement to life, not as a historical relic, but as a mirror reflecting the anxieties of the modern world.

Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter unfolds within the claustrophobic confines of a basement room, where two people wait for instructions that never fully arrive. Directed by Rajini Aloka, this production transforms waiting into an act of psychological tension and quiet terror. Shanali Ranaweera, cast as Ben, and Rajini Aloka as Gus, deliver gripping performances that capture the irony, menace, and dark humour of Pinter’s world. Through pauses, silences, and fragmented exchanges, the play exposes obedience as both ritual and trap, revealing the absurdity of power structures that operate without explanation.

In contrast, yet in profound conversation with Pinter’s work, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot expands the theme of waiting into a vast existential landscape. Set against a barren backdrop, two characters linger endlessly for someone who never comes. Under Rajini’s direction, the ensemble cast—Sheran Costa (Vladimir), Nethma Meththananda (Estragon), Mika Nivola (Pozzo), Vehera Abeygunawardane (Lucky), and Rehan Sandeepa (The Boy)—brings Beckett’s delicate balance of humour, despair, and hope to the stage. Their performances echo the quiet tragedy of human perseverance, where meaning is endlessly sought yet perpetually deferred.

Behind the scenes, The Wait is supported by a dedicated creative team whose work deepens the festival’s impact. Production Manager Chreshene Algama ensures the seamless execution of the festival, while Dilantha Thilina Perera’s evocative lighting design heightens the emotional and psychological atmosphere of each play. The stark, suggestive sets by Shanuka Weerasingha create spaces where stillness and suspense coexist, and Mika Nivola’s visual direction shapes the festival’s striking promotional identity. Special appreciation is extended to Yohan Ferreira and Drama Sri Lanka for their invaluable support as the official promotional partner.

After more than seven months of rigorous preparation and artistic collaboration, Off-Centre Theatre presents The Wait as both a theatrical event and an intellectual experience. Whether encountering these plays for the first time or revisiting them through study and memory, audiences are promised performances rich in tension, mystery, and resonance.

The Dumb Waiter will be staged on Saturday, 31st January and Sunday, 1st February 2026 at 6.30 PM at the BMICH Kamatha Studio. Waiting for Godot follows on Wednesday, 11th February and Thursday, 12th February 2026 at the BMICH Kamatha Amphitheater. Tickets are priced at LKR 2,500, with limited availability.

In an age of constant motion, The Wait dares audiences to stop, sit with uncertainty, and discover meaning—or its absence—within the act of waiting itself.

PHOTOGRAPHS
Please find the posters of the production from the link below
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Wmt3QKhjeTfxSA6BcqESn2PorUiYmkcX?usp=drive_link