Harold Pinter’s classic heads to the Old Vic Theatre, starring Timothy Spall and Daniel Mays. But is it a hit or a miss?
The Guardian: ****Michael Billington said: “Warchus’s production, performed inside a wonderfully dilapidated set by Rob Howell, treats the play less as a microcosmic study of power-politics and more as a strange comedy about a trio of deluded outsiders.”
The Stage: *** Natasha Tripney described the production as: “Matthew Warchus’ production of Pinter’s faintly absurdist 1960 play, The Caretaker, is one of broad strokes and ink blots.”
The Telegraph:*** Dominic Cavendish wrote: “Worth looking in on, then, but with less actorly decoration, we’d get the unvarnished genius of the thing.”
The Daily Mail: ***Patrick Marmion commented that: “Colourful turns and virtuosic displays as all three give, it’s not a play that’s easy to love.”
Theatre Cat: **** “this is a barnstorming production of his best play, and a career-best performance by Timothy Spall as Davies the tramp.”
The Upcoming: **** Laura Foulger thought that: “This superbly acted production of The Caretaker is bleakly comic, touching at times but emotionally distant enough to remain discordant.”
Evening Standard:**** Henry Hitchings summed the production up saying: “The rich performances make this an unsettling portrait of claustrophobic domesticity and its capacity to warp the mind and the soul.”
London Theatre.co.uk:**** Dom O’Hanlon wrote: “Whilst the overall outlook is somewhat disturbing and in many ways fairly bleak, Warchus balances the humanity with a good dose of humour, so the play never feels too acerbic.”
The Caretaker is playing at the Old Vic Theatre until the 14th May. To book tickets visit: Ticketmaster.co.uk, Discount Theatre.com, Last Minute.com,Theatre Tickets Direct.co.uk,Love Theatre.com, Theatre People.com and UK Tickets.co.uk.