19th January 2005

REVIEW - The Lover by Harold Pinter - presented by thinktanktheatre at The Priory Playhouse, Arundel - Worthing Herald - 19th January 2005

'After ten years of marriage, what can a couple do to prevent the spark from leaving the bedroom? Should the woman take a lover, or the man visit a prostitute? Or should they devise an entirely private scenario in which they can be shamelessly unfaithful without involving a third party? Harold Pinter’s darkly comic play The Lover is a danse macabre in which sex is not only about physical gratification – it’s a power struggle too. thinktanktheatre’s production at The Priory Playhouse last week cleverly pointed this. Actors Jane Huxley and Saul Ware performed an erotic minuet, advancing and retreating as endearments were overlaid with insults. It was a fascinating look at the games people play. Saul Ware played the husband with fluid elegance, combining charm and menace in an irresistible cocktail. And Jane Huxley’s edgy performance as his wife showed how women can be on top – but only sometimes. The windowless, black-walled set with minimal furniture in saucy scarlet created just the right atmosphere of claustrophobic sensuality. And using the cool elegance of a Chopin waltz to link the scenes was a masterstroke, creating a production in which every detail had been carefully considered. thinktanktheatre say their aim is to present ‘entertaining, intelligent and thought-provoking theatre’. With their latest production they’ve scored top marks on all three.'

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