Pinter wrote this two-act play in 1964, and it premiered in 1965. It is one of the playwright’s most unnerving works. It recently had a revival at The Young Vic in December 2023 starring Jared Harris. Joe Cole and Lisa Diveney.

Teddy brings his wife, Ruth, home from America for the first time to meet his family in London. The play is essentially one long power struggle between the male family members, with Ruth as the catalyst. The play is rich with meaning, picking at ideas of family, masculinity and the home, which despite the period setting, still have deep resonance and relevance today.

Not suitable for young children.

Reviews of the Play

"What to make of it in our post #MeToo age?...captures how fear, awe and neediness lie at the heart of misogyny." Arifa Akbar, The Guardian.

"There is a direct line to draw from the world of this play to the online toxic masculinity of today... This is a story about the impossibility of escaping your past, or your nature" Nick Curtis The Evening Standard.

EDI Assessment

In line with our EDI policy, we undertake an EDI impact assessment of all our artistic programming. This play deals with themes of misogyny, toxic masculinity and patriarchal control at the heart of a family. Set as a period piece in 1960s London, the play uses anachronistic language and portrays attitudes that were prevalent at the time. It can be cast completely neutrally on race/ethnicity. For the story narrative, playing genders are specified.