The film “Langrishe, Go Down” is a little-known jewel of a film, scripted by Harold Pinter and first broadcast by the BBC in 1978. Filmed in a village in southern Ireland two hours south of Dublin, the movie is based on the 1966 acclaimed novel by the great Irish author Aidan Higgins who won the
Read MoreLiv (Ullmann) and Harold’s “Old Times”
Liv Ullmann celebrated her 80th birthday two months ago and a few lines are not enough to describe a film icon such as her. Ingmar Bergman defined her “my Stradivarius”, and he made her into his muse after seeing her on stage in Henrik Ibsen’s “Doll’s House”. The partnership between Ingmar and Liv, one of
Read MoreSilence runs down the line
A phone ringing in the dead of night. A man who isn’t answering. A phone which continues to ring. It might seem like the opening of a horror film classic. But it isn’t. It is the start of “Problem”, a short narrative written by Harold Pinter in 1976 in which the evocative power of a
Read MoreHell is other people
In autumn 1943, in just fifteen days Jean Paul Sartre wrote one of him most successful plays: “Huis clos”, “No Exit”. The play was first performed at Paris’ Vieux-Colombier and then went on to be performd in the US where , in 1947, it was awarded the prize for best foreign work. “When you write
Read MorePinter’s duck
“Who’s having the duck?”. With these words the celebration of an important anniversary gets underway under the Pinteresque magnifying glass in “Celebration”, the play written by Harold Pinter in 1999 and performed for the first time the following year at London’s Almeida Theatre. In the top restaurant in an unidentified city, husband and wife celebrate
Read MorePeppino and Harold
A comedian and a genius: Peppino De Filippo. An amazing artist who, in the words of Fellini, “any theatre in the world would envy us he is so seductive and unique”. He was an actor and a dramatist among the most loved of the 20th century. Born and raised on the stage, De Filippo owes
Read MoreHarold’s Reunion
Harold Pinter never wrote an original film. But as he himself said: ”I’ve enjoyed adapting other people’s books very much…” And of the 24 screenplays he wrote there is one, which few know about, which brought to the screen a film only too often underestimated but much loved by Harold. The film in question is
Read MoreHappy Birthday Harold!
Jeremy Irons, Kristin Scott Thomas, David Suchet, Tom Hiddleston, Lia Williams, Paapa Essiedu, Gary Kemp, Russell Tovey and many more took part in “Happy Birthday, Harold”, the event which took place on October 10th to celebrate Harold Pinter, who would have been 88, and his unforgettable works. Lady Antonia Fraser also took part in the
Read MorePinter at the Pinter: Paapa Essiedu
Paapa Essiedu, the first black actor to play “Hamlet” with the Royal Shakespeare Company, will be on stage at The Harold Pinter Theatre, until October 20th with four political works by the Pinter: “One for the road”, “New World Order”, “Mountain Language”, and “Ashes to Ashes”. Born in 1990 to a family originally from Ghana,
Read MoreVictoria Station
A: “274? Where are you? ” “274? Where are you?” B: “Hello?” A: “274?” B: “Hello?” A: “Is that 274?” B: “That’s me”. A: “Where are you?” B: “What?” A: “I’m talking to 274 right?” B: “Yes, that’s me, I’m 274. Who are you?” A: “Who am I?” B: “Yes…” A: “Who do you think
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