description: Harold Pinter has long been acknowledged as one of the most influential playwrights in contemporary theatre; his arresting and original works have left a lasting imprint on the development of the stage and screen while delighting audiences around the world. This, the first of four volumes, contains his first five plays, including "The Birthday Party" (1958), his first full-length drama; as well as two short stories--"The Black and White" and "The Examination"--both written before Pinter turned to the theatre. Pinter's exacting and complex use of language and the features that mark his "comedies of menace" are clearly realized in these plays and stories. His speech "Writing for the Theatre" introduces the volume and establishes the context for these early years.Includes: The Birthday Party, The Room, The Dumb Waiter, A Slight Ache, A Night Out, "The Black and White," "The Examination," and "Writing for the Theatre."
title: Complete Works: One
titlecomplete: Complete Works: One (the Birthday party)
genres: Fiction, Plays, Theatre, British Literature, Drama, Anthologies, Literature, Classics, Nobel Prize, 20th Century
ratings_count: 1172
series: Complete Works
publisher: Grove