When I was in New York City not long ago on one of my Theatre Weekends, TWO Harold Pinter plays were playing on Broadway. Betrayal starring Daniel Craig and Rachel Weiz; and No Man’s Land with Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart. I wish I could see both but I only had time for No Man’s Land (more on this in another blog) because I have a Passion for Pinter.

Pinter’s work has this ability to be both funny and menacing, He weaves a place where the audience is only vaguely privy to, and when you think you have it figured out, it turns again and lands somewhere else entirely.

In May 2014, Julian Sands came to town with his one-man tribute to Harold Pinter, A Celebration of Pinter. He was alone on stage with a well-worn copy of Various Voices, poetry by Harold Pinter, and a storehouse of memories of the Great Man. Mr. Sands knew Pinter when he substituted for the poet and playwright, reading from his work. This collaboration eventually turned into a tribute when Pinter died, and from there it became a one-man show that has toured the world.

And what a delightful show it was! Sands is charming, handsome, and funny as he tells some surprisingly intimate stories about Pinter, Cricket, and Life in General, swinging effortlessly between a bombastic impersonation of Pinter and his Real Self. At one point, an explosive (and expletive laden) poem caught the audience off-guard. The front row was so startled that the Real Julian Sands (soft-spoken and sweet) made a swift appearance and apologized profusely. We all giggled uncontrollably at how surprisingly aggressive acting can be.

Sands clearly adjusts portions of the piece to tell some anecdote relating to the town he is in. He talked about walking along the river here in New Orleans and about Martin Jarvis, who was filming in nearby Louisiana. These comments made the evening feel even more intimate, as if we were chatting with a charming friend.

I was a little disappointed that there was not very much talk about the plays themselves, for the evening focused on Pinter’s poetry. He mentioned,  a production of The Room that I later found on YouTube where Julian Sands plays the sinister Mr. Sands. (I will talk about this in another blog entry.) But all in all it was a pleasant evening, chatting with a charming man about his Adventures with Pinter.

Look for this show in your town!

http://cacno.org/performances/julian-sands

Q&A with Julian Sands (not at the CAC in New Orleans)