Pinter Productions

Question 1

Ian Rickson, 2018, Stanley

Answer 1

Stanley is played as both ‘pampered and feral’

Question 2

Ian Rickson 2018, set design

Answer 2

slightly substandard living space adds to the realism

Question 3

Ian Rickson, 2018, music

Answer 3

music was too insistently menacing which detracted from the realism

Question 4

Lyric Theatre, 1958, Peter Wood

Answer 4

Meg played by Beatrix Lehmann with great pathos and realism

Question 5

Aldwych Theatre, 1964, Harold Pinter, Meg

Answer 5

Doris Hare played Meg and was criticised for not being simple-mindedness enough

Question 6

Shaw Theatre, 1975, Kevin Billington, Petey

Answer 6

Petey played as intelligent, increased the terror as he understood what was happening

Question 7

Film, 1968, William Friedkin

Answer 7

Dandy Nichols played Meg unpatronisingly and with heightened maternal instincts but nothing was overplayed to the point of silliness

Question 8

BBC 2, 1987, Kenneth Ives

Answer 8

Julie Walters played Lulu as a garish coquette who was playful and full of laughter, yet the final dialogue with Lulu sympathised with the abused mentality

Question 9

Aldwych Thatre, 1964, Harold Pinter, Stanley

Answer 9

Bryan Pringle overplayed the silences, after this Pinter decided not to direct any more of his own plays

Question 10

Shaw Theatre, 1975, Kevin Billington, Stanley

Answer 10

Resolutely unsentimental Stanley played by John Alderton as a guilty and deserving victim

Question 11

Film, 1968, William Friedkin, Golderg

Answer 11

Sydney Tafler played him completely naturalistically which undermined his larger than life character

Question 12

Shaw Theatre, 1975, Kevin Billington, McCann

Answer 12

Played very much as Goldberg’s inferior

Question 13

BBC 2, 1987, Kenneth Ives, Goldberg and McCann

Answer 13

Pinter played Goldberg with an uneasiness, constantly adjusting his clothes and smile. Blakely made McCann a contrast to this being understated and restrained.