No Man's Land - 1978
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- Опубліковано 8 сер 2018
- "No Man's Land" is a play by Harold Pinter written in 1974 and first produced and published in 1975.
Hirst is an alcoholic upper-class litterateur who lives in a grand house presumed to be in Hampstead, with Foster and Briggs, respectively his purported amanuensis and man servant (or apparent bodyguard), who may be lovers. Spooner, a "failed, down-at-heel poet" whom Hirst has "picked up in a Hampstead pub" and invited home for a drink, becomes Hirst's house guest for the night; claiming to be a fellow poet, through a contest of at least-partly fantastic reminiscences, he appears to have known Hirst at university and to have shared male and female acquaintances and relationships. The four characters are named after cricket players.
I saw the original production with Gielgud and Richardson in London in 1975. One of the great, great theatergoing memories of my 20s. So glad this video exists so other people will know what all the fuss was about!
Each actor has such specific and distinct physicality and movement. Ralph Richardson is monumental here even at his age he still had such elemental power in every gesture and sound. Incredible.
Gielgud’s performance is so nuanced and delicate it’s impossible imagining anyone else being able to do it so well.
This one of the gems of the internet. I am amazed that having those 3 actors around him Michael Kitchen shines out so strongly. His performance in this is one of the greatest I have ever seen. Utterly, believable, threatening, charming and vulnerable.
John's exquisite poise of mingled obsequiousness and menace is something to behold: the soul of a Pinter performer. One feels he is genuinely, almost evilly enjoying the gay thrills of a part that he played in secret for many years.
Absolutely first-class actors here. Especially Ralph Richarson - he would make reading out the telephone directory riveting.
Gielgud is quite astonishing here.
What a cast. TV is so awful now, ditto football & music.
i saw this at the national theatre in 1975 when i was 15. It was the last performance and Pinter himself was in the audience. It is a memory that has stayed with me all my life. Although there are actors who are arguably better technically than Gielgud and Richardson, none have ever come close to achieving the unique sublime acting magic of these two titans of theatre. after all these years, their performances still send shivers down my spine. i would have loved them to do " waiting for Godot" sadly it was not to be.
I was lucky enough to see this at the National theatre, Gielgud was extraordinary, best performance I've ever seen
Just sublime, and hearing the great Ralph Richardson call someone a 'weekend wanker' was delicious! Thanks.
Dear video uploader, you are kindness itself!
Saw this from a box next to the stage in 1975 so got a wonderful close up of this masterclass and was lucky enough to go backstage after the performance and meet Sir John . It is quite simply the best, most nuanced , acting I have ever seen. How Sir Ralph , at his age, manages to fall flat out is just one remarkable moment of genius like Sir John wearing sandals and socks and doing that little skip when he refreshes his drink . I also saw McKellen and Stewart in the revival and whilst they were utterly brilliant when they did Godot , they came nowhere near these two masterful performances when they did this play. Sir John’s comment to me afterwards was “ we don’t really understand the play but we are thoroughly enjoying it “ . That enjoyment of their craft shines through their performances and they clearly relish working with each other . Check out David Storey’s “Home” which is also on UA-cam for another treat .
I vividly remember Gielgud and Richardson in “Home” many years ago: it was a memorable experience. Seeing them again in this has been wonderful.
This for me is Pinter's best. English Language, he's just letting rip unashamedly...
Majestic...in writing and performance.
The exact date eludes me but I saw these amazing actors in the Toronto production sometime in the 1970s at the Royal Alex Theatre.
Immaculate performances by all actors, down to the smallest possible details such as Spooner's semi-apologetic chuckle and the colour of Hirst's socks.
A real corker. Sadly a term that has disappeared, but then I am very old!
Thanks a lot! Every time I watch this I see new things in it.