Image from e-bay, click here, where this programme can be bought
This theatre visit predates my relentless keeping of programmes and logs. Aspects of it are well-logged in my memory – the fact that Lauren Bacall played The Princess Kosmonopolis and the fact that the production was at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, for example.
It had slipped my memory, however, that Harold Pinter, one of my heroes, was the director. I was probably seduced by that fact, combined with a chance [did you see what I did there?] to see Lauren Bacall in a play that I had studied with dry-mouthed admiration at school; it indeed had been this play that turned me on to Tennessee Williams.
West End ticket prices for hot shows, even in those days, were a stretch for an apprentice professional lad just down from University and would also have been a stretch for Bobbie – just embarking on her second year of pupillage. But stretch we did, and, with hindsight, delighted that we stretched am I.
Here is the Theatricalia entry for this play/production. This tells me that the production had been doing the rounds of theatres royal and palace-like, prior to autumn at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Full formal reviews will take some digging, but Harold himself got there before me with a super one-pager summarising the best of the notices – click here to link to that page. In the unlikely event that misfortune befalls haroldpinter.org, click here for a scrape of that page.
I have rummaged for some interesting newspaper stuff on this production as well as reviews. Here’s a reflective piece by Roy Hattersley, of all people, suggesting that this play/production is not for young folk. Try telling that to 23-year-old me and 22 year-old Bobbie:
Bird Hattersley Guardian 31 Aug 1985 The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Here is my friend, Michael Billington’s formal review from The Guardian:
Bird Billington Guardian 11 Jul 1985 The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
John Bird also reviews positively, adding to Billington’s praise of Michael Beck (Chance), James Grout (Boss Finlay) and Frances Cuka (Miss Lucy).
Bird Barber Telegraph 11 Jul 1985 The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
I didn’t see many productions reviewed by Milton Shulman – our eras barely overlapped. In truth the late-period Shulman said little about this one:
Bird Shulman Standard 10 Jul 1985 Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Here is an interview by Nicholas de Jongh with the lauded Michael Beck:
de Jongh Guardian Standard 9 Jul 1985 The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
In short – do I remember this as a production and night at the theatre that cut the mustard? Unequivocally yes.