THE BIRTHDAY PARTY revived at the Royal Exchange

Blanche McIntyre’s revival of Pinter’s THE BIRTHDAY PARTY, has opened at the Manchester Royal Exchange, with design by Dick Bird, sound design by Gregory Clarke, and Ed Gaughan as ‘Stanley’, Danusia Samal as ‘Lulu’ and Maggie Steed as ‘Meg’.

The actors meanwhile ride the silences and taut dialogue with supreme skill. Ed Gaughan’s Stanley is outstanding. He is a nasty, unshaven Eric Morecambe, with pyjamas like a prison camp uniform, and without the jokes, cruelly taunting Maggie Steed’s heartbreaking Meg over her many insecurities.

Guessing what the whole thing is about is one of the great pleasures of The Birthday Party, if that is the right word. It might be difficult to watch at times but it is impossible to stop thinking about.
Independent * * * *

Maggie Steed's very funny Meg …when McIntyre's production is good, it is very, very good – and in Ed Gaughan it boasts a brilliant Stanley
Guardian

The production runs until Saturday 6th July and tickets can be bought here.