Pinter’s work transcends time, with themes and characters that remain as relevant today as when they were first penned. The Lover and The Dumb Waiter, are perfect examples of how Pinter’s exploration of power dynamics, existential dread, and human complexity remain ripe for reinterpretation in today’s climate.

Staged within the intimate Ensemble Theatre, this double bill of one act plays, masterfully blends suspense, dark humour and psychological insight, with a sense of absurdity that is quintessentially Pinter. What’s unspoken speaks volumes, raising as many questions as answers.

If you’ve never seen The Lover, you’re in for a sly, surprising journey — one that teases with secrets, wit and restraint. Part of the pleasure lies in the quiet shocks, watching as the layers are peeled back. In true Pinteresque style, it explores the blurred boundaries between desire and identity, offering a compelling examination of the masks we wear.

Although The Lover is set in the present day, it was written in 1962, and Director Mark Kilmurry has embraced the era, opting for a less intense approach with fewer dark undertones. The set design amplifies the struggles and limitations of a white middle-class couple, every detail, from the furnishings to the colour scheme, reinforces the stifling sense of order and domesticity.

Nicole Da Silva who plays Sarah, captures the secret inner life of a woman with suppressed sexual desires. She contrasts cold elegance and aloofness with moments of unexpected vulnerability and sardonicism. Gareth Davies as Richard, is a fascinating display of subtlety. He skillfully swings between a bland, composed exterior and moments of repressed longing. Together they expertly expose the tension between what is shown and what is truly felt, revealing that what we choose to conceal or perform can be just as defining as what we truly are. 

If you’ve ever been curious about how a stage can be stripped back and transformed into something completely different, stay in your seat for the interval. In a few swift moments, The Dumb Waiter emerges — a stark, shadowy world of moulding walls and eerie quiet. The suspense builds with every absurd, unexplained event.

This is Pinter at his sharpest — tense, offbeat and disturbingly funny. On the surface, it’s a waiting game between two hitmen in a dingy basement, but beneath that lies a slow drip of dread and disorientation. What makes it so effective is Pinter’s ability to twist the mundane into the menacing: a broken kettle, a trivial disagreement, and the oddly unsettling dumbwaiter, which delivers random instructions and interruptions with an animal-like groan and grind — intensifying the unease.

These elements expose the senselessness of their situation, highlighting the existential struggle of trying to make sense of a world that offers no clear answers. The more you dig, the deeper the hole gets – and that’s the definitive Pinter Point.

Anthony Taufa and Gareth Davies (returning from The Lover) are less overtly threatening and more strangely endearing — almost pulling off the impossible balance between mundanity, menace, and mounting tension. Taufa is bumbling, nervous, and displays an underlying conscience about what he does, which reinforces the powerlessness and confusion of his character. Davies’ timing and wordplay are particularly striking, adding a layer of wit and levity. Both act out of fear, inertia, and blind obedience. Their actions serve to highlight the circling futility of their existence.

Staging Pinter is no easy feat. His absurdist setups—seemingly ordinary couples sliding into unsettling ambiguity, can quickly feel awkward if not handled right. His mastery lies in the chasm  between what the characters say and what they really think. As an audience, we become masters of reading a pause and reaction. It takes a skilled cast and director to make Pinter’s words sing. The Lover and The Dumb Waiter at The Ensemble rewards close attention and invites you to question what’s real, what’s performed – and why it matters. 

The Lover and The Dumb Waiter run until 7 June at Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli. More details at: ensemble.com.au

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