Pinter 3. Landscape/A Kind of Alaska
Harold Pinter Theatre
Pinter 3 is a class act.
We start with the inimitable Penelope Wilton (shame there wasn’t more of her) with a darkly funny, classic Pinter monologue.
Then we’re into a series of sketches, skits and monologues that are in a class of their own and make you immediately realise (if you haven’t already) that Pinter was a genius. His writing is challenging, clever and witty and his manipulation of the english language is an absolute joy. (It was too much for the Israeli couple sat next to us who were expecting singing and dancing).
Tamsin Grieg shows phenomenal range. Last time I saw her she was a party worker in James Graham’s Labour of Love but in Landscape she is an introverted, isolated, melancholy half of an older couple. Whispering into the microphone she remembers a beach walk where she lay next to a man asking if he wanted a baby. We dont know if this is her husband or not. The juxtaposition of this contained, quietly spoken woman is in stark juxtaposition to her shouty, angry, uncouth husband, Keith Allen. They talk, just not to each other. It made me think of all those couples you see eating together but totally ignoring each other, never speaking. The lonliness and sadness screamed off the stage. Superb and superbly staged.
Then come Lee Evans (my favourite and a joy showing his range), Meera Syal (class act) and Tom Edden (a total revelation delivering the Girls monologue — just WOW!) and together with Grieg and Allen they form a company that weave together beautifully. Different pairings or monologues range from the hilarity of the three old women gossiping — Evans, Allen and Edden (reminiscent of the legendary Les Dawson), two men sharing a pint and banter in the pub, the classic skit, about the men in the factory who want to cause trouble to the warmth and tenderness of a couple who remember their first meeting completely differently.
The verbal dexterity of the actors, the compassion, the warmth that eminates from the stage is astonishing, I was transfixed. And through it all shines the genius of the writing.
However I was a little deflated by the last piece. Whilst it was superbly acted (Tamsin Grieg can do no wrong) — a 45 year old woman who believes shes still 15 after waking from a sleeping sickness — it left me sad. I had hoped to end on a high with some more Lee Evans artistry. I first saw him in standup when I was at Uni. He is as wonderful now as he was then. From physical comedy to extreme sadness. I hope he doesn’t disappear back to retirement, he’s such a talent.
5/5 — It lost a point for the deflated feeling of the final piece but as it was 6/5 for the performances until then it still shines.
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