☆☆☆☆
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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