Ian Rickson’s excellent production at the Harold Pinter Theatre demonstrates, without a shadow of a doubt, why The Birthday Party deserves its classic status.
‘A masterpiece in character study’: THE BIRTHDAY PARTY – West End
But this starry revival of The Birthday Party which has just opened at – where else? – the Harold Pinter Theatre – is immensely enjoyable – even if you occasionally lose the plot.
‘Pinter’s most canonical drama still works’: THE BIRTHDAY PARTY – West End
With its episode of a game of blind man’s bluff being both very funny and rather horrible, this is a Birthday Party for a generation brought up on The League of Gentlemen.
‘Utilises all the skills of its excellent cast’: THE BIRTHDAY PARTY – West End
Ian Rickson’s production is a tense and unnerving experience that utilises all the skills of its excellent cast to reinforce the oddity of one of Pinter’s most performed plays.
THE PLOUGH & THE STARS – National Theatre
Revival of Sean O’Casey’s modern classic shows its continued relevance, but is a bit meticulously sombre.