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  Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter, who had cancer, died on Christmas Eve aged 78.

  wrote more than 30 plays including The Caretaker and The Birthday Party. His film scripts include The French Lieutenant's Woman.

  His style was so distinctive, "Pinteresque" entered the Oxford English Dictionary.

  His wife, Lady Antonia Fraser, said: "He was a great, and it was a privilege to live with him for over 33 years."

  He had been due to pick up an honorary degree earlier this month from the Central School of Speech and Drama in London but was forced to withdraw due to illness.

  His death will leave a huge gap that will be felt by the whole political spectrum

  
  
  

  Tony Benn, former politician

  
  

  Tributes paid to Harold Pinter
  In pictures: Harold Pinter

  BBC Creative Director Alan Yentob told the BBC: "He was a unique figure in British theatre. He has dominated the theatre scene since the 1950s."

  Michael Billington, Pinter's friend and biographer, said he was "devastated and saddened" by the news.

  He told the BBC: "Harold had been ill for a very long time, but he had a titanic will and one imagined he would go on fighting.

  "He was a fighter in the field of politics, he fought strenuously against American and British foreign policy, but also in his work you see this, there is a combative spirit in his work.

  "He was a generous and loyal man and very attached to the people whom he sincerely
  

  Roya P started this discussion 11 months ago. ( reply )

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  tapbirds 

  Thanks for the information. I'm sure, as with most great playwrites, it is better to see their plays than to read their works. But do you have any suggestions on what might be a good introductory play or work to read? I believe that Pinter did write at least one novel (The Dwarfs), has anyone read it?

  Best wishes,
  Scott

  posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

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  Laura C 

  It saddened me to see that they wrote he was " too intellectual" in some pieces referring back to his life.

  posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

  show 2 replies

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    tapbirds (edited)

    That's certainly a vapid critique of an author! Just curious, who are "they?"

    posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

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    Dr. J. G. 

    I thought writers were supposed to be intellectual, unless one is inclined to restrict one's taste to descriptions of physical activities - no, wait, there is also emotions, of course, but still, this is the first time I have come across a criticism of a writer and a man at that for distancing himself from emotions.

    Sounds rather forced, the criticism. As if it was a diktat of those that the critic was dependent on for livelihood that Pinter must be given a negative sentence or two, and nothing else could be reasonably found.

    posted 9 months ago. ( reply )

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  Tess M 

  I saw The Homecoming in New York after reading the play. The written play gives enough direction and detail that you can imagine the performance, and the power and meaning of this strange story does come across. I have to admit, though, that the actors in the New York production enhanced my experience of the play in a way that no reading (and not every production) could do. It's worth a go, however -- his themes are fascinating, and you think about them for days.

  Betrayal played in London at the Donmar Warehouse last year and was reviewed very well. The story is of an extramarital affair told backward in time (first scene is the end of the affair, last scene is its beginning). I intend to read that one, even though I didn't make it to London to see the production.

  posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

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  Dr. J. G. 

  I have read a couple of his plays (although now I don't remember the names); and FLW as well, I think (having seen the film more than once now it is difficult to remember if one read the book a couple of decades ago) - but do remember liking his work.

  From the description of his political views and so on it seems a tad like Shaw although perhaps Shaw was far more sharp and difficult to argue, and consequently a terror - one could only successfully get past his arguments by pretending they were unaware of them and him, or acknowledging one could not argue against him and yet was convinced he was wrong as one woman did in public.

  If Pinter published his political views, does anyone have a reference?

  Also, how do you think he compares with Noam Chomsky in this respect?

  posted 9 months ago. ( reply )

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  D i a n a 

  I have read Betrayal and I would love see it. I thought it was the best play on the first volume of his works.

  I have some curiosity about Dwarfs being that it is his only novel, although I have been told that it is no match for his plays. If anyone has read it I would also like a sort of second opinion..

  Thanks ;)

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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