Harold Pinter Plays 2 (16 page)
Read Harold Pinter Plays 2 Online
Authors: Harold Pinter
The
Collection
was first presented by Associated Rediffusion Television, London, on 11 May, 1961, with the following cast:
| HARRY , a man in his for ties | Griffith Jones |
| JAMES , a man in his thirties | Anthony Bate |
| STELLA , a woman in her thirties | Vivien Merchant |
| BILL , a man in his late twenties | John Ronane |
Directed
by
Joan
Kemp-Welch
The play was first presented on the stage at the Aldwych Theatre on 18 June 1962, with the following cast:
| HARRY | Michael Hordern |
| JAMES | Kenneth Haigh |
| STELLA | Barbara Murray |
| BILL | John Ronane |
Directed
by
Peter
Hall
and
Harold
Pinter
AUTUMN
The stage is divided into three areas, two peninsulas and a promontory. Each area is distinct and separate from the other.
Stage left,
HARRY
’S
house in Belgravia. Elegant décor. Period furnishing. This set comprises the living-room, hall, front door and staircase to first floor. Kitchen exit below staircase.
Stage right,
JAMES’S
flat in Chelsea. Tasteful contemporary furnishing. This set comprises the living-room only. Offstage right, other rooms and front door.
Upstage centre on promontory, telephone box.
The
telephone
box
is
lit
in
a
half
light.
A
figure
can
be
dimly
observed
inside
it,
with
his
back
to
the
audience.
The
rest
of
the
stage
is
dark.
In
the
house
the
telephone
is
ringing.
It
is
late
at
night.
Night
light
in
house
fades
up.
Street
fades
up.
HARRY
approaches
the
house,
opens
the
front
door
and
goes
in.
He
switches
on
a
light
in
the
hall,
goes
into
the
living-room,
walks
to
the
telephone
and
lifts
it.
HARRY.
Hullo.
VOICE.
Is that you, Bill?
HARRY.
No, he’s in bed. Who’s this?
VOICE.
In bed?
HARRY.
Who is this?
VOICE.
What’s he doing in bed?
Pause.
HARRY.
Do you know it’s four o’clock in the morning?
VOICE.
Well, give him a nudge. Tell him I want a word with him. (
Pause.
)
HARRY.
Who is this?
VOICE.
Go and wake him up, there’s a good boy. (
Pause.
)
HARRY.
Are you a friend of his?
VOICE
He’ll know me when he sees me.
HARRY.
Oh yes?
Pause.
VOICE.
Aren’t you going to wake him?
HARRY.
No, I’m not.
Pause.
VOICE.
Tell him I’ll be in touch.
The
telephone
cuts
off.
HARRY
replaces
the
receiver
and
stands
still.
The
figure
leaves
the
telephone
box.
HARRY
walks
slowly
into
the
hall
and
up
the
stairs.
Fade
to
blackout.
Fade
up
on
flat.
It
is
morning.
JAMES
,
smoking,
enters
and
sits
on
the
sofa.
STELLA
enters
from
a
bedroom
fixing
a
bracelet
on
her
wrist.
She
goes
to
the
cabinet,
takes
a
perfume
atomizer
from
her
handbag
and
uses
it
on
her
throat
and
hands.
She
puts
the
atomizer
into
her
bag
and
begins
to
put
her
gloves
on.
STELLA.
I’m going.
Pause.
Aren’t you coming in today?
Pause.
JAMES.
No.
STELLA.
You had to meet those people from …
Pause.
She
slowly
walks
to
an
armchair,
picks
up
her
jacket
and
puts
it
on.
You had to meet those people about that order. Shall I phone them when I get to the shop?
JAMES.
You could do … yes.
STELLA.
What are you going to do?
He
looks
at
her,
with
a
brief
smile,
then
away.
Jimmy …
Pause.
Are you going out?
Pause.
Will you … be in tonight?
JAMES
reaches
for
a
glass
ashtray,
flicks
ash,
and
regards
the
ashtray.
STELLA
turns
and
leaves
the
room.
The
front
door
slams.
JAMES
continues
regarding
the
ashtray.
Fade
to
half
light.
Fade
up
on
house.
Morning.
BILL
brings
on
a
tray
from
the
kitchen
and
places
it
on
the
table
,
arranges
it,
pours
tea,
sits,
picks
up
a
newspaper,
reads,
drinks.
HARRY
,
in
a
dressing-gown,
descends
the
stairs,
trips,
stumbles.
BILL
(turning).
What have you done?
HARRY.
I tripped on that stair rod!
He
comes
into
the
room.
BILL.
All right.
HARRY.
It’s that stair rod. I thought you said you were going to fix it.
BILL.
I did fix it.
HARRY.
Well, you didn’t fix it very well.
He
sits,
holding
his
head.
Ooh.
BILL
pours
tea
for
him.
In
the
flat,
JAMES
stubs
his
cigarette
and
goes
out.
The
lights
in the
flat
fade
out.
HARRY
sips
the
tea,
then
puts
the
cup
down.
Where’s my fruit juice? I haven’t had my fruit juice.
BILL
regards
the
fruit
juice
on
the
tray.
What’s it doing over there?
BILL
gives
it
to
him.
HARRY
sips
it.
What’s this? Pineapple?
BILL.
Grapefruit.
Pause.
HARRY.
I’m sick and tired of that stair rod. Why don’t you screw it in or something? You’re supposed … you’re supposed to be able to use your hands.
Pause.
BILL.
What time did you get in?
HARRY.
Four.
BILL.
Good party?
Pause.
HARRY.
You didn’t make any toast this morning
BILL.
No. Do you want some?
HARRY.
No. I don’t.
BILL.
I can if you like.
HARRY.
It’s all right. Don’t bother.
Pause.
How are you spending your day today?
BILL.
Go and see a film, I think.
HARRY.
Wonderful life you lead.
(Pause.)
Do you know some maniac telephoned you last night?
BILL
looks
at
him.
Just as I got in. Four o’clock. Walked in the door and the telephone was ringing.
BILL.
Who was it?
HARRY.
I’ve no idea.
BILL.
What did he want?
HARRY.
You. He was shy, wouldn’t tell me his name.
BILL.
Huh.
Pause.
HARRY.
Who could it have been?
BILL.
I’ve no idea.
HARRY.
He was very insistent. Said he was going to get in touch again. (
Pause.
)
Who the hell was it?
BILL.
I’ve just said … I haven’t the remotest idea.
Pause.
HARRY.
Did you meet anyone last week?
BILL.
Meet anyone? What do you mean?
HARRY.
I mean could it have been anyone you met? You must have met lots of people.
BILL.
I didn’t speak to a soul.
HARRY.
Must have been miserable for you.
BILL.
I was only there one night, wasn’t I? Some more?
HARRY.
No, thank you.
BILL
pours
tea
for
himself.
The
telephone
box
fades
up
to
half
light,
disclosing
a
figure
entering
it.
I must shave.
HARRY
sits,
looking
at
BILL
,
who
is
reading
the
paper
After
a
moment
BILL
looks
up.
BILL.
Mmnnn?
Silence.
HARRY
stands,
leaves
the
room
and
exits
up
the
stairs,
treading
carefully
over
the
stair
rod.
BILL
reads
the
paper.
The
telephone
rings.
BILL
lifts
the
receiver.
Hullo.
VOICE.
Is that you, Bill?
BILL.
Yes?
VOICE.
Are you in?
BILL.
Who’s this?
VOICE.
Don’t move. I’ll be straight round.
BILL.
What do you mean? Who is this?
VOICE.
About two minutes. All right?
BILL.
You can’t do that. I’ve got some people here.
VOICE.
Never mind. We can go into another room.
BILL.
This is ridiculous. Do I know you?
VOICE.
You’ll know me when you see me.
BILL.
Do you know me?
VOICE.
Just stay where you are. I’ll be right round.
BILL.
But what do you want, who –? You can’t do that. I’m going straight out. I won’t be in.
VOICE.
See you.
The
phone
cuts
off.
BILL
replaces
the
receiver.
The
lights
on
the
telephone
box
fade
as
the
figure
comes
out
and
exits
left.
BILL
puts
on
his
jacket,
goes
into
the
hall,
puts
on
his
over
coat,
swift
but
not
hurried,
opens
the
front
door,
and
goes
out.
He
exits
up
right.
HARRY’S
voice
from
upstairs.
HARRY.
Bill, was that you?
He
appears
at
the
head
of
the
stairs.
Bill!
He
goes
downstairs,
into
the
living-room,
stands,
observes
the
tray,
and
takes
the
tray
into
the
kitchen.
JAMES
comes
from
up
left
in
the
street
and
looks
at
the
house.
HARRY
comes
out
of
the
kitchen,
goes
into
the
hall
and
up
the
stairs.
JAMES
rings
the
bell.
HARRY
comes
down
the
stairs
and
opens
the
door.
Yes?
JAMES.
I’m looking for Bill Lloyd.
HARRY.
He’s out. Can I help?
JAMES.
When will he be in?
HARRY.
I can’t say. Does he know you?
JAMES.
I’ll try some other time then.
HARRY.
Well, perhaps you’d like to leave your name. I can tell him when I see him.
JAMES.
No, that’s all right. Just tell him I called
HARRY.
Tell him who called?
JAMES.
Sorry to bother you.
HARRY.
Just a minute, (
JAMES
turns
back.
)
You’re not the man who telephoned last night, are you?
JAMES.
Last night?
HARRY.
You didn’t telephone early this morning?
JAMES.
No … sorry …
