Celebrations for Harold Pinter

[Lauryn]

Since the SMA's ghostly compatriate from TOP (and playwriting colossus) Harold Pinter won the Nobel Prize for Literature today I thought I'd post this bygone bit of news:

Nicola ChristieThe Daily Telegraph
sneak preview The insider guide to coming attractions
Byline: Nicola Christie
Section: Features; The Arts

The Gate Theatre in Dublin is putting on a giant birthday party for Harold Pinter next month when the playwright turns 75. Michael Colgan, artistic director of theGate, has persuaded a staggering cast of actors to take part in the celebrations - which will take place on Oct 7, 8 and 9 - including Jeremy Irons, Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, Penelope Wilton, Sinad Cusack and Michael Gambon. Pierce Brosnan is also rumoured to attend. The programme of events will include a staged reading of Pinter's 2000 play Celebration, along with readings and performances from his sketches, poetry and prose.

Apparently Pierce's rumored appearance didn't materialize, unless he got hammered at the pub and missed his poetry reading.

[Ace]

Apparently Pierce's rumored appearance didn't materialize, unless he got hammered at the pub and missed his poetry reading.

Well he was pub crawling -- "all two of them" -- in Mill Valley as of Oct 6th. Maybe that's why he missed his flight. More likely though that he wanted stay home before he left again for 2 months to film in New Mexico.

Seems like PB is rumored to be in more places at one time than Santa on X-Mas Eve.

Ace

[sparklingblue]

Well, when Ireland celebrates one of its best, naturally all the other Irishmen and -women of excellence are linked with it.

[Yuliya]

Wow. Just a couple of days before the Prizes were announced I read an article on the Prize in Literature and how it was awarded. All pure politics. One of the things they said was that the widespreadness (is that a word?) of the language shouldn't be the factor - meaning, an English-speaking writer has no chances. Also no chances have those whose compatriates have recently received Nobel Prize in Literature, those who are in similar circumstances to whose who recently received Nobel Prize in Literature (like if one expatriate living in Paris received the Prize a few years ago, other Paris-based expatriates should abandon their hopes), etc. They did say that the Prize in Literature was usually awarded to an unexpected writer whose name hadn't been mentioned as a possible candidate. I don't remember the article mentioning Pinter, so I guess they were right at least on one account.

I'm very happy for him anyway.