This brace of plays was part of a season of short plays by Harold Pinter. The first featuring two couples and one foursome had an air of menace throughout. They waxed lyrical about their charmed life and lovely country club while - as it became apparent - a cleanup operation was taking place in the streets outside. One of the privileged asked about her brother only to be hushed up - the mystery quickly solved when he enters through a bright door covered in blood - one of those subject to the cleansing. What are we to make of it? At one level, Pinter shows us the idle bourgeoisie carrying on their charmed lives while a different world is acted out on the proletariat. The play also captures some lovely truths about the country club set - how very civilised they are and anyone who deviates is kicked in the balls and thrown down the stairs.
Celebration appeared lighter featuring a table of two as well as a table of four hugely nouveau riche out celebrating. The dialogue captured perfectly the characters who played against the foil of the restaurateur and his front of house manager. To start with the couple and the foursome are disconnected but about halfway on e of the four says the woman in the couple reminds of someone he shagged behind a filing cabinet. She recognises him too and the tables come together. Although a delicious embodiment of the characters, I am less clear of the takeaways from this play. The acting, though was fabulous.
No comments:
Post a Comment