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Live Theatre Review: The Birthday Party, by Harold Pinter


☆☆☆☆

The Birthday Party, by Harold Pinter is a moving performance which both causes the audience to become uplifted and trigger them to reflect deeply into the compelling story of Meg, Petey and Stanley. It confuses the brain; spiralling it into thoughts bigger than you could ever imagine. Were left perplexed and confused, as Pinter wanted us to be. This led the play to bleed into the audience and stay within their bloodstream long after the curtains had closed.

The story focuses on a married couple, Meg and Petey, who run a seaside boarding house, set in the 1950’s. They are ‘on the list’of the best boarding houses in Brighton, yet they only have one lodger: Stanley. However, Petey informs Meg that there are two business men coming to stay. These will be the first lodgers, besides Stanley, for what seems to be a significant amount of time. Stanley’s birthday is then acknowledged by a visit from Lulu, a local girl in her twenties, which gives the new businessmen, whom we have picked up have been conspiring together about something the audience is not aware of, who are lodging an idea. They want to throw a Birthday party for Stanley. After, Meg gifts Stanley a drum for his Birthday and the party starts, things begin to go from bad to worse; finally resulting in Stanley’s breakdown, and thereafter, him being taken away by the businessmen. The following morning Meg seems oblivious to the fact that Stanley has gone, she still seems to act as if he is in bed, as she did the morning before. The play ends with her reciting how wonderful she thought she looked at the party last night.

*They're coming today. They're coming in a van. - Stanley*

The main thing that strikes you after watching this play unfold is the ending and how striking it is. The chaos which just ensued, that we are all not sure if we understand, is suddenly shut down and instead of the answers we are anticipating, we are left even more bewildered than before. We are left with an even bigger question of confusion. The morning at which the play ends is set up parallel to the morning that the play started with. This circular structure gives the idea of Meg repeating these events in her mind which leave us to wonder whether Stanley is an invention in her head which keeps on repeating over and over. To reinforce this idea that her and Petey’s relationship strikes us as un-fulfilling, as many other relationships in the 1950’s were. This is shown through the repetitive use of questioning that Meg asks Petey at the beginning and his curt responses. Life seems to be average- a drift along of repetition. In addition, Petey is not present at the party which is the most vivid part of her memories as this is where the chaos unfolds. He returns and turns the lights back on; this could symbolically connote him looking after his wife after her imagination running to wild. Furthermore, he is the one who tells Meg that Stanley is ‘still asleep’ upstairs, besides the fact that he saw Stanley being taken by the Business men. This conveys how he may be lying by omission of the truth to make his wife seem less distraught of the idea of Stanley’s in existence. In addition, he pleads the businessmen to make Stanley stay; thus further connotes the idea Stanley is in Megs head as this fantasy keeps her happy as she is finally fulfilled. He may want this happiness for his wife.



However, the alternative ideas include the idea that the fact Stanley is taken by the business men/ lodgers is reflective of the modern day and the encroaching idea that it is becoming more realistic that people do just knock on your door and take you away. This leads the audience on a reflective journey to be more observant and aware of their own lives and safety.

*Well at least he had it on his Birthday, didn't he? Like I wanted him to. -Meg*

Furthermore, the 1950’s culture was filled with expectations of providing clear answers to rational; defined questions. Yet, the messy, gripping ending which delivers none of these answers rebels against this; thus connoted Harold Pinter’s attempt to defy society; which in my humble opinion completely abominates it due to the ground-breaking success of this obliteration of the norm.

The lighting was used successfully throughout to enhance the overall performance. A blackout is used mid- party after a game of blind man’s bluff. Stanley goes to strangle Meg out of the blue and then a blackout occurs. This could be symbolic of Stanley’s mental breakdown and how his head went black. This could also portray all for the unsaid in the play such as the connotations of Meg’s love for Stanley. It reinforces the tension that has been mounting throughout the play, for example, with Goldburg’s inferred sexual harassment of Lulu which puts us on edge and keeps us wondering what he my do to her while the lights are out. When the lights come back up Lulu is spread over the table wither legs wide open and her fishnets torn, with Stanley’s head between her legs, with him laughing. This gives a disturbing image which shocks us after the blackout and gives us the idea that negative things happened during the blackout. His laughter is eerie and reinforces the idea of his break down. She strikes us as dead, yet, we later find out that she is not. This could connote the idea that she is emotionally dead, or scared. She is no longer an innocent women due to the uncleanness both Goldberg and Stanley have subjected her to. She is now stained by the events of the night; hence her metaphorical death.

*I was the belle of the ball.I know I was- Meg*

The audience was end-on as I feel Pinter needed us to be distant to create it as a reality. This is due to it being set in the 1950’s, not the modern day and Pinter does not want this to be un-obvious. Thus, it makes us more shocked by the ending due to us observing rather than being involved; therefore knowing more. Much is implied within the play, for example the businessmen’s sketchiness. This would not work as well if we were not observing traditionally as an end-on audience. There are many moments of dramatic irony due to the audience knowing things that the characters don’t. For example, Meg’s flirtatious actions towards the lodger, Stanley. Thus, again, some moments within the play would not be successful without us viewing and not being included in the actual performance at all.
The sounds throughout the play added to the dramatic tension. The drumming noise was symbolic of the breakdown of Stanley and the drumming in his head making him go insane. This drumming ends the second act. Stanley is madly drumming and stomping around. This further implies this; thus, the fact that Meg is going mad; then linking to the idea that she is imagining Stanley. He is linked to the drum which is linked to her acratic thoughts represented by the drumming. She even gives him the drum which portrays how she gives him the ability to wreck her mind- thus, that her mind allows him to create her.

The costume added to the performances overall affect. For example, Lulu bore ripped fishnets after the blackout scene portray her innocence being obliterated that night from the sexual Goldberg and the mad Stanley. Her dress is green. This portrays envy- is Meg envious of her (if this is all a dream) because she is young and free? Meg however, wears a classic 1950’s, female, dress and apron which portrays her role as a housewife; thus, their old fashioned relationship which links to the time. Which is one of convenience; thus enforcing her dissatisfaction.The businessmen wear suits to convey that they have a job to do. It gives them a higher status and a sense of safety due to them looking well informed. This however, is misleading due to the fact that in the end they take Stanley away anyway. This is not a sense of safety, clearly.

*Get out of it you succulent old washing bag. -Stanley*

The props used included, fire. It is an ongoing symbol throughout the play as Stanley uses a match box to light a match and watches it burn out, in addition, later on the business man gets a lighter and creates a spark. The fact he is using a more advanced object to create the fire, conveys the idea that they are ahead of Stanley. This links to the fact that they take him away- they always have power and status over him. In addition, the play ends as a wreck. E.G. during the blackout and Stanley’s mental decline; leading to a breakdown. Fire links to this as it is also harmful and destructive. Furthermore, the fact Stanley watches it burn out, links to the fact that Meg and Petey’s relationship has burnt out. Stanley, or Megs imagination of a better; new man is the cause of this. The drum which Meg gifts to Stanley is symbolic due to the noise discussed previously, yet, it is also symbolic in different ways. The fact that it is a gift from Meg to Stanley, infers passion and love from her to him. Yet this drum gets stamped on just before Stanley strangles her which connotes his lack of affection showed back to Meg. This doesn’t support the idea of Stanley being in Meg’s head as if he was, surely she would create him to feel the same towards her as she does towards him. However, the broken drum could portray how this is not reality to Meg- it is just in her head.

Besides the overall positives of this unique play, the audience were left confused which, is a success, as it makes the audience think more about the play after the actual, live performance. However, it also leaves them so utterly befuddled that they may feel dissatisfied with the final outcome.In addition, they may end up increasingly aggravated, rather than intrigued by it. They may want for this answer and it may frustrate them rather than liberate them that they have to think for themselves.

*Sometimes it happens gradual- day by day. And then other times it happens all at once. Poof! Like that! The nerves break.- Goldberg*

In conclusion, this captivating performance which displayed both eloquent play-writing skills and an ethereal translation of this script onto the stage is a must see. Harold Pinter’s play ‘The Birthday Party’, performed in his own Harold Pinter theatre, was a compelling roller-coaster of suspense, tension and confusion which every theatre addict should consume and live within for the two hours that it comes to life on stage.

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