THE CARETAKER To 17 April.

London.

THE CARETAKER
by Harold Pinter.

transferred to Trafalgar Studios (Studio 1) To 17 April 2010.
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Thu & Sat 2.30pm.
Runs 2hr 30min One interval.

TICKETS: 0844 871 7632 (£3 transaction fee).
www.ambassadortickets.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 10 October 2009 at Everyman Theatre Liverpool.

Bold yet scrupulous performances and production.
Davies is asked to be caretaker twice, once by each owner, or landlord, of the dilapidated house where Harold Pinter’s 1961 play is set. Then both mild-mannered Aston and tough Mick turf him out. Ownership is what matters; without it, you’re nowhere.

It’s part of Pinter’s unsentimental impact that no-one feels sorry for the dispossessed Davies. He says he couldn’t do the job, though Jonathan Pryce’s powerful presence doesn’t look likely to be scared of anyone coming to the door. Yet Davies is a bully and coward, who’ll go on the attack when he thinks he has the upper hand.

There’s his mocking laughter and vehemence as he describes his encounter at the monastery – which has never seemed more naturally Davies’ invention, putting words into others’ mouths. And the scornful mockery of Aston, after hearing about the ECT treatment, mouthing his words loud and slow in a derisively thick-toned voice.

Pryce takes up the suggestion in his character’s names alternative names – Davies, Jenkins – making him Welsh in Christopher Morahan’s production, adding to the sense of an outsider in Pinter’s world of London and south-east England. It’s colouring enough, and Morahan wisely focuses on the character tensions and contrasts inherent in Pinter’s dialogue.

Brothers Aston and Mick are rarely seen together, the most noticeable moment being their passing-round of Davies' bag, Aston returning the bag to Davies, Mick taking it away. But, the bag Aston’s recovered is, he knows, not Davies’ own. Does anyone have a friend in this world? Colin Grenfell’s lighting twice reveals Mick, offstage, standing in the next room. The second time’s at the end when Davies stares straight ahead, and the brothers separately stare into the distance, Aston no doubt towards the shed this most slow-paced of workers is building.

Mick, though, has grand plans. Peter McDonald’s deliberate manner is contrasted by Tom Brooke’s mercurial shifts, the smoothest of gear-changes as opposed to his brother’s steady-state of being. Finally, there’s no break-down; the words, Aston’s explanations, Mick’s verbal cascades and Davies’ self-justifying details just give out. Waiting for Godot-style, no-one moves. No-one moves on. So life is.

Mick: Tom Brooke London performances: Sam Spruell.
Aston: Peter McDonald.
Davies: Jonathan Pryce.

Director: Christopher Morahan.
Designer: Eileen Diss.
Lighting: Colin Grenfell.
Sound: Tom Lishman.
Costume: Dany Everett.
Dialect coach: Penny Dyer.
Fight director: Bret Yount.

2009-10-16 14:32:46