Pinter 7

Posted on by Debs K

This was the final set in the Pinter at The Pinter by numbers, I saw all but Pinter 2. And after being completely puzzled by Pinter 1 I found myself enjoying each one more as I understood more about where the ‘mini-plays’ were coming from. Over the series I saw some amazing actors – listed by number here

  • Pinter 1 – Jonjo O’Neil, Kate O’Flynn, Pappa Essiedu, Anthony Sher, Maggie Steed, Jonathan Glew, Quentin Deborne, Jacob Tobias
  • Pinter 3 – Tamsin Greig, Keith Allen, Meera Syal, Lee Evans, Tom Edden, Penelope Wilton
  • Pinter 4 – Robert Glenister, Brid Brennan, Al Weaver, Dwane Walcott, Jamie Dee, Peter Polycarpou, Isis Hainsworth, Jessica Barden, Abbie Finn
  • Pinter 5 – Rupert Graves, Jane Horrocks, Nicholas Woodeson, Luke Thallon, Emma Naomi, Colin McFarlane
  • Pinter 6 – John Simm, Phil Davis, Eleanor Matsuura, Celia Imrie, Tracey-Ann Oberman, Gary Kemp, Ron Cook, Abraham Popoola
  • Pinter 7 – Gemma Whelan, John Hefferman, Danny Dyer, Martin Freeman

Pinter 7 consisted of 2 plays, A Slight Ache, A radio play and The Dumb Waiter. I went on a Wednesday evening and would say this was probably the busiest I’d seen the theatre. I have a feeling many had come to see the second set with Danny Dyer and Martin Freeman.

But A Slight Ache was wonderfully done, a strange story, or weird shit, as I like to call most of the Pinter I’ve seen. Gemma Wheelan and John Hefferman played the piece as if they were indeed reading a radio play. But, it was transfixing, most of the plays are open to interpretation and this was no different. The tale of an upper class (from their posh accents) couple confronting an elderly man apparently selling matches, if he existed at all. It was funny and thought provoking. Hefferman delivered a monologue with sheer brilliance.

The Dumb Waiter with Danny Dyer and Martin Freeman saw the 2 men in a room, waiting to do a ‘job’. With Freeman playing the slightly over exuberant Gus and Dyer the cooler Ben. There was a ‘dumb waiter’ which became a comedy centre piece. This was definitely one of the funny ones, Dyer didn’t have to move too far away from the character we’re very familiar with on our small screens. But, again as with all of the Pinter plays there was fine acting from both men. I should imagine actors rush to be a part of such a season. I’m very glad I stuck with the series after my confusion with Pinter 1, I’ve seen some amazing stuff!

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