Overview
Synopsis
In one of Pinter’s most memorable works, The Birthday Party, Meg and Petey Boles run a boarding house in their small, sleepy seaside town. They have only one lodger: the reclusive, bitter Stanley, hiding away from the world outside. All changes, though, with the arrival of two mysterious visitors, the charming Goldberg and the menacing McCann. Stanley is immediately on edge, suspicious that the men are there for him, but Meg is too delighted by her new guests to pay him any heed. Goldberg convinces Meg to throw Stanley a birthday party, though he insists it isn’t his birthday. As the festivities barrel forward, out of anyone’s control, the celebration turns dark and a game of blindman’s bluff grows violent as Stanley’s past catches up with him, threatening to shatter him inside and out.
Show Information
- Book
- Harold Pinter
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1957
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- A boarding house in a seaside town, Summer
- Cast Size
- small
- Licensor
- Samuel French
- Ideal For
- Community Theatre, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult Characters, Small Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
|
|
|
Lead |
Male |
|
|
|
Lead |
Male |
|
|
|
Lead |
Male |
|
|
|
Lead |
Male |
|
|
|
Lead |
Female |
|
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
Sorry! We do not currently have terms for this guide.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Quote Analysis
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Guide Written By:
