The Birthday Party

 This blog is written as a task assigned by Megha ma'am. Here is the link to the head of the Department of English (MKBU), Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. Blog for background reading: Click here.

Pre-Viewing Tasks:

1. Harold Pinter – The Man and His Works

Harold Pinter (1930–2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, and Nobel laureate known for his unique use of language, pauses, and themes of power, control, and identity. The Birthday Party (1957) was his first full-length play, initially a commercial failure but later recognized as a classic example of the "Comedy of Menace." Other notable works include The Homecoming and The Caretaker.

2. Comedy of Menace

• Termed by: Drama critic Irving Wardle (1960s)
• Key Playwrights: Harold Pinter, David Campton
• Characteristics:
  • Ordinary situations turned into terrifying experiences
  • Characters threatened by mysterious forces
  • Dark humor mixed with fear and uncertainty
  • Subtle psychological manipulation
• Difference from Absurd Theatre: While Absurd Theatre (e.g., Beckett, Ionesco) often deals with the meaningless of life and illogical scenarios, Comedy of Menace creates suspense and fear within seemingly normal settings.

3. ‘Pinteresque’ – Pinter Pause and Use of Silence

• Pinteresque refers to the unique style of Harold Pinter’s plays—filled with ambiguity, pauses, and underlying menace.
• Pinter Pause: Strategic silences that create tension, reveal character psychology, and emphasize unsaid truths.
• Effect in The Birthday Party: The frequent pauses and silences heighten the sense of threat and disorientation, making the audience feel uneasy.

4. The Birthday Party as an Allegory of ‘Artist in Exile’

• The play has been interpreted as an allegory of an artist (Stanley) being persecuted by society for his non-conformity.
• Other interpretations:
  • Psychological thriller about guilt and paranoia
  • Political allegory about oppression and control
  • A reflection of identity crisis and existential uncertainty

5. The Birthday Party as a Political Play (Pinter’s Nobel Speech: ‘Art, Truth & Politics’)

• In his 2005 Nobel Prize Lecture, Pinter argued that truth is often hidden by those in power, and art has the responsibility to expose political lies.
• The Birthday Party can be seen as a critique of totalitarian control, where Goldberg and McCann represent oppressive forces that erase individual identity.

While – Viewing Tasks:

1. Harriet Deer and Irving Deer’s Article on The Birthday Party: The Film and the Play

• Harriet and Irving Deer discuss how Pinter’s film adaptation of his own play provides a unique insight into cinematic translation of drama.
• They explore the shift in experience from stage to screen—how film techniques (camera angles, close-ups, background music, etc.) intensify the play’s psychological tension.

2. Comparing the Film and Play Versions

• The film version allows for a more intimate engagement with characters (e.g., close-ups of facial expressions vs. stage distance).
• Pinter’s treatment of "texture" in both versions creates an unsettling world—full of repetition, uncertainty, and an oppressive atmosphere.
• Pay attention to how cinematic tools (lighting, editing, camera movements) amplify the play’s sense of menace.

3. The Texture of a World Without Structure

• Observe how Pinter builds a chaotic and uncertain world through:
  • Disjointed conversations
  • Strange interruptions
  • Ominous sounds and silences
• The characters’ confusion and fear reflect the lack of structure in their world.

4. The ‘Knocking at the Door’ – A Menacing Effect?

• The number of times the knocking happens is crucial—it signals threat, intrusion, and loss of control.
• How does the sound of knocking affect the mood of the film? Does it create a rising tension?

5. Silences and Pauses: Lurking Danger & Comedy of Menace

• Watch how long pauses and awkward silences create tension.
• Example: Does Goldberg pause before answering a question? Does McCann hesitate before taking action?
• How does silence replace dialogue? Does it say more than words?

6. Symbolic Objects in the Movie

• Mirror: Symbol of identity and self-perception—does Stanley see himself clearly?
• Toy Drum: A childlike object—does it reflect Stanley’s helplessness or foreshadow his downfall?
• Newspapers: A sign of control (Goldberg and McCann use them to assert dominance).
• Breakfast: A symbol of routine, but does it remain normal or become eerie?
• Chairs: Do they create a sense of order or imbalance during scenes?
• Window-hatch: A barrier between the inside world and the unknown outside—does it emphasize isolation?

7. Key Scenes: Effectiveness in the Film

• Interrogation Scene (Act 1):

  • Does the camera movement intensify the psychological pressure on Stanley?
  • How does the dialogue delivery build fear and confusion?

• Birthday Party Scene (Act 2):

  • Does the use of shadows, music, and camera angles enhance the sense of menace?
  • Does Stanley’s breakdown feel more intense on screen than on stage?

• Faltering Goldberg & Petey’s Timid Resistance Scene (Act 3):

  • Does the film highlight Goldberg’s vulnerability more effectively than the play?
  • How does Petey’s hesitant resistance play out visually? 

Post-Viewing Tasks:

1. Why Are Two Scenes of Lulu Omitted from the Movie?

• Lulu’s role in the play is already minimal, and her scenes might have been cut to maintain a tighter focus on the main themes.
• Her scenes expose gender dynamics and victimization. Their omission reduces the focus on Lulu’s oppression and shifts it more towards Stanley’s plight.
• What effect does this omission have on the film’s message? Does it make it more focused or less layered?

2. Does the Movie Successfully Create a Menacing Effect?

• Compare your reading experience with watching the film.
• Did you feel more or less uneasy when watching it compared to reading the text?
• Which cinematic techniques (camera angles, lighting, background sound, character expressions) contributed to this sense of menace?

3. Do You Feel the Lurking Danger in the Movie vs. The Play?

• In the text, the menace is built through dialogue, pauses, and ambiguity.
• In the film, does menace come more from visuals and sound design?
• Example: Goldberg and McCann’s presence—do they feel more threatening on stage or in the movie?

4. Symbolism of the Newspaper

• Petey reading the newspaper to Meg → Represents normalcy and ignorance. He avoids acknowledging the underlying menace.
• McCann tearing it into pieces → Symbolizes the destruction of truth, knowledge, or order.
• Petey hiding the torn pieces in the last scene → Perhaps a symbol of passive resistance—does he try to hold onto remnants of truth?

5. Camera Positioning and Symbolism in the Blind Man’s Buff Scene

• Over McCann’s head when he plays Blind Man’s Buff → A power perspective—it emphasizes his dominance over Stanley.
• Top-view angle when Stanley is playing → Creates the effect of a cage or trap, reinforcing Stanley’s entrapment.
• Does the film’s visual framing make Stanley’s helplessness more intense than the play does?

6. Does the Film Reflect Pinter’s Nobel Speech Ideas?

• Pinter stated that in his work, “people are at the mercy of one another, and pretense crumbles.”
• Does the film effectively strip away illusions, exposing raw power struggles?
• Example: Does Stanley’s breakdown feel more devastating in the film than in the play?

7. How Does Viewing the Movie Help in Understanding the Play?

• Adds Visual and Auditory Layers: Pinter’s pauses and silences are more impactful when heard and seen rather than just read.
• Highlights Lurking Danger: The film’s cinematography, lighting, and music make the sense of menace more immediate.
• Clarifies or Confuses? Does the film adaptation make themes clearer or more ambiguous compared to reading the play?

8. Which Critical Observation Do You Agree With?

Option 1: "It probably wasn’t possible to make a satisfactory film of The Birthday Party."

• Does the play’s mystery and ambiguity make it more suited for stage performance?
• Are there moments where the film fails to capture the tension as effectively as the play?

Option 2: "It's impossible to imagine a better film of Pinter's play than this sensitive, disturbing version directed by William Friedkin." (Roger Ebert)

• Does Friedkin’s adaptation enhance Pinter’s themes?
• Are the visual and sound elements used effectively to amplify the play’s menace?

Which side do you lean toward?

9. If You Were the Director or Screenplay Writer, What Changes Would You Make?

1. Would you restore Lulu’s missing scenes?
2. Would you use different actors or cinematography to enhance menace?
3. Would you make Goldberg and McCann’s backstory clearer or leave it ambiguous?

10. Ideal Casting Choices for a Modern Adaptation

1. Who would you cast in key roles (Stanley, Goldberg, McCann, Meg, Petey)?
2. Should the film keep its 1960s setting, or could it work in a modern context?

11. Comparison with Kafka, Orwell, and Pinter’s Other Works

• Joseph K. (The Trial), Winston Smith (1984), and Victor (One for the Road) all face authoritarian control and loss of identity.
• Similarities with Stanley:
  • Like Joseph K., Stanley is accused of something but doesn’t understand why.
  • Like Winston Smith, Stanley is trapped in a system that breaks him down.
  • Like Victor, he faces psychological manipulation and coercion.

Additional Resource: 

Reference:

• The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "The Birthday Party". Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Nov. 2015, https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Birthday-Party-play-by-Pinter. Accessed 7 March 2025.

• Noura. “The Birthday Party (1968) Dir. William Friedkin - English Subtitles - 1080p.” YouTube, 25 June 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hCfFfIeq7A.
  
  
  Thank You!!!