Harold Pinter’s The Caretaker

Actors Theatre Playhouse (ATP) will bring Harold Pinter’s groundbreaking play The Caretaker to local audiences for three weekends in July, exploring the delicate balance between comedy and psychological tension.

The Caretaker premiered in 1960 and quickly established itself as a landmark work of 20th-century drama, cementing Pinter’s reputation as a master of the “comedy of menace.” The play’s initial success was followed by a 1963 film, and it has since been translated into numerous languages and performed worldwide, becoming a staple of the modern theatrical canon. The work is celebrated for its innovative use of subtext, ambiguous dialogue, and the “Pinter pause”—techniques that create an atmosphere of simmering tension and psychological realism that continues to challenge and captivate audiences more than six decades after its debut.

The play begins when Aston, a quiet young man, invites Davies, an elderly drifter, into his ramshackle London flat. When Aston’s brother Mick arrives, he begins to question the old man’s intentions, resulting in knife threats, interior decorating schemes, and a broken Buddha.

ATP’s production features Geof Dolman as Davies, Leo Mousseau as Aston, and James Gelter as Mick. The production is directed by Gelter, with stage management by Brenda Seitz and props by Emmadora Boutcher.

Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. on July 10, 12, 17, 18, 23, 24, and 25. Matinee performances begin at 2:00 p.m. on July 13 and 19. Actors Theatre Playhouse is located at 21 Main Street, West Chesterfield, N.H. ATP is an intimate theatre with limited seating; reservations are highly recommended. Visit atplayhouse.org to purchase tickets.