The Birthday Party returns to the London stage to celebrate its 60th
anniversary with an all-star revival. Set in a seaside boarding house, we are
introduced to a bizarre host of characters. Meg (Zoë Wanamaker) fusses over Petey (Peter Wright)
as he tries to enjoy his cornflakes, banal conversation passing between them.
She frets that Stanley (Toby Jones) isn’t up yet and goes to wake him, treating
him as though he were the son she never had. He in turn behaves petulantly and
easily takes on the juvenile role, showing signs of jealousy when it is
mentioned that other guests are expected. The eventual arrival of Goldberg
(Stephen Mangan) and McCann (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) adds a sinister edge, Goldberg’s
friendliness clearly a front. When Meg mentions that it is Stanley’s birthday
(which he denies) they insist on throwing him a party, in which chaos descends.
Stanley makes an intriguing
central character whose history is called into question. A failed pianist that
has been the sole guest at the boarding house for the past year, he seems to
lack many social skills. Lulu’s (Pearl Mackie) attempts to tempt him to go for
a walk fall flat, and he is prone to tantrum. He plays the drum Meg gives him
childishly before working himself into a rage and flinging it across the room.
He is reluctant to join in at his party, and during a game of Blind Man’s Bluff
he attempts to strangle Meg. His interrogation by Goldberg and McCann suggests
that he may have once been part of the organization that sent them.
The audience are given no
background to the characters, and what is revealed is often later contradicted,
leaving you with more questions than answers. If you want a play with a clear
narrative and logical action then this is not the play for you. It swings
between everyday conversation to jarringly bizarre scenes of intimidation,
leaving the audience confused. The everyday is presented in an accurate degree
that isn’t particularly enjoyable to watch, and the more intense scenes feel
out of place without any narrative context. It’s a play that leaves you mulling
over the characters after the event, a pastime perhaps more enjoyable than the
act of watching it unfold. An intriguing play brought to life by a talented
group of actors.
The Birthday Party is at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 14th April.
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