Steppenwolf Theatre Company is currently presenting Harold Pinter’s “No Man’s Land” in its
downstairs theater, 1650 N. Halsted Street, through August 20, 2023. This play, a gem of the
“Pinteresque” ouerve, is brilliantly and meticulously directed by Les Waters, and features an all-
male cast of 4 stellar actors. The Swedish Academy, in awarding Pinter the Nobel Prize in 1950,
defined the characteristics of this eponymous genre as “an enclosed space…unpredictable
dialogue…people…at the mercy of each other and pretence crumbles”. It’s also been referred
to as a “comedy of menace”, in which “domination and submission” lurk in the midst of trivial
conversations. Finally, there is “another principal theme…the volatility and elusiveness of the
past”.
And then there is the language of the contained protagonists- beautifully represented here is
“the Pinter Silence”: in his remarks in 1962 to The National Student Drama Festival in Bristol,
Pinter explained “There are two silences. One when no word is spoken. The other when
perhaps a torrent of language is being employed”. Of course, within the charged silences and
the torrential soliloquys are clues-keys-to the relationships and personalities involved. And “No
Man’s Land” is nothing if not a class-conscious character study.
Ensemble Member and company co-founder Jeff Perry– who incidentally was featured in the
first Steppenwolf production of this Pinter masterpiece as well as in this current revival- is Hirst,
a wealthy Brit. He is by turns hilarious, particularly in physical comedy, deeply and meaningfully
silent, scathingly insulting in Oxfordian verbiage and clipped tones. He has brought home from
Hampstead Heath an alleged poet, one Spooner, played by Mark Ulrich, whose mobile face and
agile limbs alone tell quite a story- and it’s a different story than the verbiage he spews.
Most of the first act is comprised of these two drinking copiously alone; the entire production
takes place in Hirst’s drinks bar cum library. Yes, there are conundrums- did these two ever
meet at Oxford? Has Spooner ever written verse? But what is abundantly clear is that the
verbally facile (bullshitting) Spooner is a Hirst wannabee and he wants in- into the mansion, into
Hirst’s life.
After Hirst crawls out of the room to deep audience guffaws, the two younger cast members
enter. They are employees of Hirst’s-and very well-chosen indeed. While there are some
questions about their joint and separate pasts- did the deeply serious (and just as deeply scary)
Jon Hudson Odom as general factotum Briggs hire Samuel Roukin as the strangely eloquent
Cockney-accented Foster to be Hirst’s bodyguard and are any of them lovers? Why is it that
Briggs has the plumiest accent and most correct attire? What does it mean when the lights go
out and thunderous noise goes on?
One thing is abundantly clear- in these two threatening caretakers Hirst has procured true
protection; they love him and are rightly, scathingly suspicious of the hapless Spooner. Is he
ultimately ousted after his breakfast champagne and begging of Hirst? Is he slain or put in a
dungeon? To answer this one must answer the questions voiced throughout the play as throughout life: “Who are you?” “Do I know you?” “What happens next?” “What was the subject?”
A word about Waters’ sublime direction must needs be said: the script is a stunner, the actors’
refined, fine adjunct help given by coaches, designers and choreographer, but to turn a virtually
actionless and very talky piece of work into a mesmerizing, deeply satisfying production takes
enormous focus, encouragement, and understanding of the author, the work itself, and the
actors. Bravo to Waters for as fine a work of direction as this reviewer has ever seen.
Information and tickets for “No Man’s Land”
Kudos to the entire creative team- all photos by Michael Brosilow.
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