University of Virginia Library

Va. Players Review

Harold Pinter's
'Birthday Party'

By Steve Wells
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Strike or no strike, the Virginia
Players are bringing their season to a
close this week with a generally
solid production of Harold Pinter's
"The Birthday Party," which
opened in Minor Hall Monday
evening.

It is always interesting to
observe audience reaction to a
Pinter play. Some people are
fascinated, some are bored, and
most are baffled. It therefore came
as little surprise when one fellow,
upon leaving the theatre night
before last; turned to his friend
with the question, "What in the hell
was that all about?"

I wish I were able to give the
mystified theatregoer a definite
answer, but I can't. After I first saw
"The Birthday Party" in New York
three years ago, I was able to finally
reach an interpretation which
satisfied me, one which I confirmed
and perhaps strengthened Monday
night. But in no way is this any
more than a theory.

"The Birthday Party" is set in a
seedy boarding house on the coast
of England. It is the home of Pety
and Meg, an elderly couple whose
relationship seems static. They have
but one boarder, a bespectacled,
shy, tense young man named
Stanley. Soon, however, two more
lodgers arrive - Goldberg and
McCann - whose purpose appears
to be to persecute Stanley.

Meg insists that they have a
birthday party for Stanley even
though he maintains it isn't his
birthday. Before the party is over,
Goldberg and McCann have
mentally tortured Stanley, and by
the following morning he is no
more than a breathing corpse,