Landscape (play)
Landscape | |
---|---|
Shimer College production | |
Written by | Harold Pinter |
Characters | Beth Duff |
Date premiered | 2 July 1969 |
Place premiered | London |
Original language | English |
Genre | One-act play |
Setting | Farmhouse |
Landscape is a
Setting
The play is
Plot
There is virtually no plot to the play. The focus is on the interaction, or lack of it, between the two characters. The text requires that "Duff refers normally to Beth but does not appear to hear her voice" and "Beth never looks at Duff and does not appear to hear his voice. Both characters are relaxed, in no sense rigid."[3] What plot there is exists only in the stories told by the characters. Beth reminisces to herself of a past romantic episode, whether with Duff or another man is not made clear. Duff talks of more practical matters, and finally has a short outburst of anger, evidently in frustration. Beth continues her romantic reverie as the play ends.[4]
Production history
Landscape was written for the stage, but the official theatre censor, the
The play was produced at the Royal National Theatre in November 1994 with Penelope Wilton as Beth and Ian Holm as Duff, directed by the author.[7] This production was also broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1995.[8]
The National Theatre revived the play in 2008 with
Notes
- ^ a b The Guardian 11 January 2008
- ^ Epilogue: Beyond Menace http://www.ohiostatepress.org/books/Complete%20PDFs/Burkman%20Dramatic/09.pdf
- ^ a b Pinter, p. 175
- ^ Pinter, pp. 177–98
- ^ Gale, p. 849
- ^ a b Pinter, p. 174
- ^ haroldpinter.org
- ^ bbc.co.uk
- ^ www.nationaltheatre.org.uk Archived 10 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk Archived 2 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
Sources
- Gale Steven H. 1996. Encyclopedia of British Humorists: Geoffrey Chaucer to John Cleese. London: Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0-8240-5990-5.
- Pinter, Harold. 1978. Plays: Three. London: Methuen. ISBN 0-413-38480-2.