While many of the theatres around Sydney are putting on increasingly experimental works, the Ensemble Theatre is assembling a program that very much pays homage to the classics across different genres and periods. For this part of the reason, it is the turn of Harold Pinter to be showcased, with Director Mark Kilmurry bringing The Lover and The Dumb Waiter together into a double bill for this production. 

The two plays fit well together, with similar tones, both mainly featuring two actors and a degree of existential dialogue. The Lover tells of the story of a married couple, who discuss their affairs with each other before the realisation hits that their lovers are in fact themselves. Through this, Pinter reveals a tension between the public and the private self by which he seeks to comment on intimacy (or lack thereof) in modern day human connection. 

The Dumb Waiter is a play very much constructed in the vein of Waiting for Godot, where two hitmen are placed in a room, waiting for their contract and trying to order food from the dumb waiter, for which they have no success. It slowly becomes clear that the hit is actually on one of the two in the room and the play ends ominously. 

The acting is a standout in both plays, with Gareth Davis doing incredibly as both the husband in The Lover and the hitman in the Dumb Waiter. He shows an exceptional breadth of dramatic skill throughout the production, showcasing both humour and darkness (often simultaneously). Nicole Da Silva and Anthony Taufa are also very strong in their supporting roles, acting with conviction and with a dryness befitting of the roles. 

The Dumb Waiter is the stronger of the two plays, with tension continually building up until the climax. The dumb waiter also has a somewhat transcendental element, which is particularly interesting to consider within the existential context of the play.  The Lover feels a lot more literal, with the major plot line becoming fairly obvious from early in the play. However, the length of both plays means that the audience is able to maintain focus despite the somewhat esoteric subject matter and is able to draw meaningful conclusions, especially from the second play. 

Simone Romaniuk’s set design is truly fantastic, very much adding to the ambiance particularly in The Dumb Waiter, with the prison-like, purgatorial setting adding to the sense of tension and claustrophobia. The sound design is also strong, adding a sense of foreboding as the play progresses. While both plays are strong, their comedic sides could be explored a little more as both feel quite serious when that was not necessarily the whole intention of Pinter. 

Overall, this is an interesting production of two existential texts that are superbly acting and put together on the Ensemble stage. The style of the play may not suit everyone but for those willing to entertain fairly esoteric subject matter, this is a satisfying and thought-provoking theatrical experience which should certainly be commended. 

Rating: ★★★★

The Lover and The Dumb Waiter play at the Ensemble Theatre until 7^th June. For more information, click here. 

All photo credits: Prudence Upton