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Pints of epiphany

A Pinter Sketch, a dramatised reading of eight of Harold Pinter's most famous sketches, made a tremendous impact with a minimal setting but superb comic timing

There are many things Harold Pinter will be remembered for. Some will remember him for the way he spoke of cricket and the way it crept into much of his writing. Others will remember him for the way he wore his political consciousness on his sleeve. Most of all, however, Pinter will forever be remembered for his ability to create the comically beautiful out of the mundane: an ability showcased in The Shoestring Players' A Pinter Sketch.

Good blend

Performed as a dramatised reading, A Pinter Sketch introduced the audience to the enigmatic playwright with a rendition of eight of his most famous sketches interspersed with biographical readings.

Every sketch was an excellent example of Pinter's deftness with words — the uncanny knack of using simple techniques such as repetition, pauses and well-modulated emphasis to create moments of profound hilarity.

MAN OF MANY MOODS A Pinter Sketch was infotainment at its best

Or, as the sketch New World Order proved, to create moments of epiphany about the nature of human behaviour. Creative use of stage space with minimal use of props or costumes, good comic timing and energetic performances from all the actors came together to create a very entertaining evening.

Particularly entertaining were the performances of Sharon White and Udai Matthan, who slipped through various guises with seemingly greater ease than the other actors.

Watching the performance, one couldn't help but find similarities between the sketches and the work of a more recent comic, Jerry Seinfeld of the hit-sitcom Seinfeld. Pinter-lovers will take objection to this comparison, but the similarities are unmistakable: the unstructured approach to the description and enactment of incidents, the introduction of characters and plotlines without preamble and the constant use of repetition and intonation.

Insightful

What distinguished A Pinter Sketch from the more trivial sitcom, though, was Pinter's insightful commentary on life — intellectually satisfying, while steering clear of psychological mind games that other playwrights have often depended on.

A Pinter Sketch was infotainment at its best. Provoking strong curiosity in the first-timer and nostalgia in the veteran, the play effectively achieved what it aimed to do — arouse a desire in the audience to go back home and delve deeper into Pinter's world.

RAKESH MEHAR

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