WOS TV: No Man’s Land’s West End Opening Night

Harold Pinter’s 1975 modern classic No Man’s Land returned to the West End last night (7 October 2008, previews from 27 September) in a new production care of the Gate Theatre, Dublin, helmed by director of the moment Rupert Goold. It runs for a strictly limited season to 3 January 2009 at the Duke of York’s theatre.

The four-hander stars veteran thespians Michael Gambon, David Bradley, Nick Dunning and, making his stage acting debut, Little Britain star David Walliams. Hirst (Gambon), a wealthy Hampstead aesthete meets a shabby and penniless poet, Spooner (Bradley), and invites him home for a late-night session of drinking and games, overseen by his henchmen, Briggs (Dunning) and Foster (Walliams).

No Man’s Land premiered in 1975 at the National Theatre where the cast included John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson. Its major London revivals since have included a 1992 Almeida production, which starred Pinter and transferred to the West End, and a 2001 production, directed by Pinter and starring Corin Redgrave and John Wood, back at the NT.

TO VIEW THE NO MAN’S LAND OPENING NIGHT TV FOOTAGE, JUST CLICK
ON THE ARROW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TV SCREEN BELOW.

For Whatsonstage.com TV, interviewer Roger Foss and director Sean James Cameron were on hand at the Duke of York’s and at the post-show party at Mint Leaf. Amongst our TV interviewees are director Rupert Goold, actor Nick Dunning, Gate Theatre artistic director Michael Colgan, producer Sonia Friedman and first night guests including Eddie Izzard, David Baddiel and Roger Lloyd Pack.

Prior to its London transfer, No Man’s Land opened in Dublin, where it ran from 21 August to 20 September 2008. It’s designed by Giles Cadle, with lighting by Neil Austin and sound and music by Adam Cork. It’s produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions, which has collaborated with the Gate Theatre, Dublin many times in the past. Gate artistic director Michael Colgan has a unique association with Harold Pinter, having presented four festivals of his work to date.

– by Terri Paddock