The role of Gus was held by a woman, which posed a problem for me, because it's written for a man, and our understanding of the text is shifted.

But as far as I can recall, the characters in Godot are not particularly gendered. So slavishly following Beckett's written indication is a fairly thin excuse.

Shakespeare's female roles were always played by men in his lifetime, following conventions of the time. But I don't think he would have objected on principle to them being played by women. Beckett, likewise.

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II}