Review: THE CARETAKER, Chichester Festival Theatre
Photo credit: Ellie Kurttz
The Caretaker is a modern classic; its style, the pauses and the use of staccato non-sequitur lines defined the author, Harold Pinter, and built his reputation and success. It has attracted some very fine casts since the original 1960 production, such as the 1981 Royal National Theatre production with Jonathan Pryce, Kenneth Cranham, and Warren Mitchell, the 2000 production at the Comedy Theatre with Michael Gambon, Rupert Graves and Douglas Hodge, or the 2016 The Old Vic Theatre production with Timothy Spall, Daniel Mays, and George MacKay. The Chichester Theatre production at the intimate Minerva Theatre brings together Adam Gillen as the misunderstood and distressed Aston, Ian McDiarmid as the tramp Davies, and Jack Riddiford as the ill-tempered Mick. Inevitably, any new production invites comparison with the earlier casts and staging. Having seen those earlier shows, we can report that this production, directed by the new Artistic Director of the Chichester Festival Theatre Justin Audibert, stands up very well to that comparison.
It helps that the wonderful set design by Stephen Brimson Lewis sits so well on the Minerva thrust stage, creating the dilapidated dank London flat in which all of the scenes are set. With the audience sitting on each side, almost as if eyes in the walls of the flat, we are so close that we can see the detail of the multitude of old rusty tools, containers and wood that Aston has collected. We can see that so many look like recycled items in compliance with the Green Book sustainability standards that gives them an authenticity and adds to the atmosphere and grime of the room.
As we take our seats, Mick enters and slowly and menacingly inspects the room before sitting on the bed and staring out into the audience. As he catches your eye, you can sense his threatening and power-seeking status before he rushes off stage as Aston and Davies climb the external stairs to the room. It cleverly sets up the relationship and premise of the play. Aston has invited Davies to the flat after an incident. Mick, Aston’s brother, appears to control his brother and the flat, and Davies finds himself stuck between the two, uncertain of who to trust. Each has their own small fantasy. Davies dreams of travelling to Sidcup to collect his papers; Aston of building a shed in the garden; and Mick of renovating the flat into a luxury apartment. Slowly they reveal a little of themselves and the tension builds into a strong emotional reveal at the end of Act Two and a powerful third act.
McDiarmid is magnificent as the dirty downtrodden tramp, shuffling around the stage, taking pride in the gift of luscious mauve smoking jacket and ungratefully accepting new shoes. He seeks to win favour, turn brothers against each other and reveals his vulnerability, fear and despair as he loses control of his situation. Gillen creates the slow speaking hesitant Aston with a chilling control as he searches for words or small gestures to win favour with Davies before heartbreakingly revealing the electric shock therapy he has suffered. Riddiford is the dominant force when on stage whether speaking or glaring across the room. He creates the sense of a large cat toying with his prey, about to pounce for the kill at any moment. They may not quite inhabit the characters in the same way as some of their predecessors did in the roles, but it is still compelling to watch.
There is a strong dated feel to some of the language reflecting its setting in late 1950’s London which some will feel uncomfortable about. However, it remains a brilliant piece of theatrical writing, full of menace and tension, cleverly staged and with three excellent performances and a powerful reminder of the influence of Harold Pinter on the 20th Century British Theatre. It bodes well for Audibert’s tenure at Chichester.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Nick Wayne
The Caretaker plays at Chichester Festival Theatre until 13 July, with further info here.