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The Caretaker
By Harold Pinter
Directed by Hans Fleischmann
Produced by Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.
At Angel Island
725 W. Sheridan
Chicago, IL
Call 773-871-0442, tickets $18 - $20 - $22
Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at Sundays at 7 pm
Running time is 2 hours 25 minutes with intermission
Through April 12, 2008
“I said to this monk, here, I said, look here, mister, he opened the door, big door, he opened it, look here mister, I said, I showed him these, I said, you haven't got a pair of shoes, have you, a pair of shoes, I said, enough to help me on my way. Look at these, they're nearly out, I said, they're no good to me. I heard you got a stock of shoes here. Piss off, he said to me.”
---Davies from The Caretaker
Classic Pinter play marvelously produced by Mary-Arrchie Theatre
Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co. loves to mount gritty, raw and naturalistic theatre to critical acclaim over the years. Their latest achievement is a terrific production of Harold Pinter’s 1959 classic, The Caretaker. Pinter would thoroughly appreciate Director Hans Fleischmann’s mounting. From the 20 second opening silence scene to the rich language of ambiguity, Pinter’s unique take on absurd theatre is a troublingly engaging piece of theatre. Pinter’s first major hit play is flawlessly performed by three excellent actors; Richard Cotovsky (Davies), Todd Lahrman (Aston) and Dan Kuhlman (Mick).
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The press notes state: “Aston, a quiet, reserved man, lives alone in a tiny, cluttered apartment in a poor London district. He befriends and takes in Mac Davies, an old derelict who has been fired from a menial job in a cafe. In time Aston offers him a job as caretaker of the house. Aston's brother, Mick - a taunting, quasi-sadist - harasses the derelict when his brother is away, countermanding his orders. Pinter uses elements of both comedy and tragedy. The complexity of the play, Pinter's masterful use of dialogue, and the depth and perception shown in Pinter's themes all contribute to The Caretaker's consideration as a modern masterpiece.”
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The Caretaker deals with failed communications and unfolds as a power struggle between Davies and Aston and Davies and Mick. Pinter’s language is filled with over 100 silent pauses and several repetitions of a single phrase, mostly by Davies. These signature Pinter techniques are performed to perfection by Rich Cotovsky, Dan Kuhlman and Todd Lahrman. I can’t remember a fine three-hander as each player deftly lands the unique nuances of these lost, lonely souls. John Wilson’s junk filled set on Matthew Gawryk’s eerie light complete the apt production values. If you have never seen The Caretaker or a Pinter play—then you need to get to Angel Island to experience a great playwright in a near perfect production.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: March 2, 2008
Jeff Recommended
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