THIS year marks the 60th anniversary of the premiere of Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot, considered to be one the greatest plays of the last century.

To celebrate this milestone, Tongues of Fire Youth Theatre are putting on a production of the play at the Cotswold Playhouse on Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20.

The play famously presents a scenario in which the arrival of the enigmatically named title character never actually happens. Two tramps wait beside a tree, believing they have an appointment with someone called Godot.

It appears they have been waiting for days. They pass the time in bickering, game-playing, philosophical debate and surreal word-play.

Other characters do appear, temporarily relieving the solitude, but the mysterious Godot remains resolutely absent.

The play is by turns hilarious, mystical, tragic and poetic, and has intrigued and entertained audiences for over half a century.

Two of the Tongues of Fire Youth Theatre's older actors - James Watson and Samuel Rohwer, both in their early 20's - decided to take on the challenge of putting on the play.

They successfully applied for funding from the EU's Youth in Action programme, employed Stroud-based director Adam Fotheringham, and got together a cast of talented young actors.

"We were fascinated by the play, and wanted to do something unlike any of the other plays we have been in" said James.

The performances are at 7.30pm on both days, and there is a matinee at 2.30pm on Saturday.

Tickets are £8 and £6 and can be purchased online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/cotswoldplayhouse/events, by phone on 0844 8700887 or on the door.