Swan Theatre celebrates 50th Anniversary with Pinter revival

Final rehearsals are now under way for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s revival of Harold Pinter’s masterpiece The Homecoming.


RSC rehearsals for The Homecoming. Picture by Stewart Hemley

David Farr directs the production which opens at the Swan Theatre in Stratford next week.

The revival is part of the RSC’s 50th birthday celebrations and features Jonathan Slinger and Aisling McGuckin, who are currently playing Macbeth and Lady Macbeth at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, Nicholas Woodeson and Justin Salinger.

RSC associate director David Farr says: “I directed the 50th anniversary production of The Birthday Party at The Lyric shortly before Harold died. He was very much involved, displaying that characteristic passion for the simply act of making theatre.

“To direct The Homecoming, which I think is possibly his greatest achievement, is a genuine thrill. It will be strange doing it without him.”

The production runs from July 28 until October 15 and is set in the 1960s – the period in which it was written and first performed by the RSC.

Alongside The Homecoming there will also be a special Pinter Winter in October marking his birthday.

It includes A Celebration - Harold Pinter’s Birthday on October 10 and day-long workshop Playing Pinter on October 14 with Joe Harmston, who is sharing his experience of directing Pinter’s texts based on his working relationship with the writer as director, actor and playwright.

The week concludes with Harold Pinter At The RSC on October 15 which will look back at some of the key moments of the writer’s life.

Box office 0844 800 1110.