Theatre of the Absurd (page 1 of 2)

Theatre of the Absurd refers to particular plays written by European and

American playwrights of the post-Second World War period who shared the
view of many existential philosophers that life is meaningless, communication
impossible, society robotic and inhuman. These playwrights could not express
these views within the framework of traditional theatre; they needed new
modes of expression, new venues, new dramatic structures and new stage
imagery, and thus Theatre of the Absurd was born.
Two people in particular played key roles in the development of Theatre
of the Absurd. In his 1942 essay The Myth of Sisyphus,* French philosopher
Albert Camus defined the human situation as meaningless and absurd; it was
the Hungarian-born British writer Martin Esslin who coined the actual phrase
Theatre of the Absurd in his book of the same title, published in 1961, in
which he comments on this disorienting postwar drama. At first, most
audiences were opposed to this style of theatre because they didnt understand
it. However, as the movement gained intellectual currency and momentum,
more and more theatre-goers began to enjoy the experience of a new and
challenging drama performed in church basements and other unconventional
venues.
Samuel Beckett (19061989), author of Waiting for Godot, was the first
to gain international fame as an absurdist playwright. Irish by birth, he moved
to Paris in the 1920s. His plays gained popularity first in France and then
elsewhere. Becketts plays are characteristic of the post-war 1950s, a time
when people still felt the threat of war and their own powerless to understand
or control the world they lived in.
Unlike the existential philosophers, the playwrights of Theatre of the
Absurd did not try to resolve the issues around the absurdity of the human
condition but rather alluded to the greatest question: why are we all here?
Unable to answer the question, many Absurdist plays are circular: they end
where they started, with no apparent resolution, no happy ending, and no
definite call to action. Language is devalued, communication is non-literal and
action and images prevail. By choosing to depart from traditional dramatic
conventions, the absurdists portrayed on the stage the chaos and despair they
experienced in the world.
* According to Greek mythology, Sisyphus was condemned to push a heavy stone up a
steep hill; but
before he reached the top the stone always rolled down, and he had to begin all over
again.The Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story Study Guide page 2
Theatre of the Absurd (page 2 of 2)
Other great playwrights who contributed to Theatre of the Absurd:
Samuel Beckett (19061989)
Endgame (1957), Krapps Last Tape (1958), Happy Days (1961), Come
and Go (1966), That Time (1976).
Eugene Ionesco (19121994)
The Bald Soprano (1949), The Lesson (1950), The Chairs (1952), The Killer
(1959), Exit the King (1962), Hunger and Thirst (1966), Macbett (1972),

The Man with the Suitcases (1975).

Jean Genet (19101986) The Maids (1947), Deathwatch (1949), The
Balcony (1956), The Blacks (1959), The Screens (1961).
Arthur Adamov (19081971)
The Invasion (1950), Parody (1952), All Against All (1953), Paolo Paoli
(1957), Spring 71 (1960).
Playwrights who continued the tradition after 1960:
Fernando Arrabal in Spain,
Tom Stoppard in England,
Gunter Grass and Peter Weiss in Germany,
Israel Horovitz and Sam Shepard in the USA,
Vaclav Havel in the Czech Republic.The Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story Study Guide
page 3
Characteristics of Theatre of the Absurd (page 1 of 1)
Situations and characters emotional states may be represented through poetic
metaphor (dreamlike, fantastical or nightmarish images).
The notion of realism is rejected: situations and characters are not realistic and
characters are often placed in obviously unreal situations.
Set and costumes may not reflect an outward reality.
Dialogue is often nonsensical, clichd or gibberish.
Communication is fractured.
There is usually an emphasis on theatricality as opposed to realism.
Absurdist playwrights often use dark comedy for satiric effect.
Characters exist in a bubble without the possibility of communication.
Characters may be one-dimensional, with no clear motivation or purpose.
Characters may be symbolic of universal situations.
Behaviour and situations may not follow the rules of logic.
Structure may be circular, without a precise resolution.
Action may be minimal.
Setting of the play may be in one locale.
Often characters perceive a threat from the outside, leading to a sense of
powerlessness.
AFTER VIEWING THE PLAY, DISCUSS:
Which of the characteristics above were true of The Dumb Waiter and The Zoo Story?
Discuss as a class how the plays were representative of Theatre of the Absurd. How
were the staging, the script, the acting, the directing and the costumes and set
characteristic of Theatre of the Absurd?The Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story Study Guide
page 4
Production Whos Who (page 1 of 1)
The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter, directed by Ted Dykstra
The Zoo Story by Edward Albee, directed by Diana Leblanc
a Soulpepper Theatre Company (Toronto) production
starring Michael Hanrahan
and Stuart HughesThe Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story Study Guide page 5
The Dumb Waiter: About the Playwright (page 1 of 1)
Harold Pinter, the only child of a Jewish tailor, was born on October 10, 1930

in Hackney, London. His passion for acting began when he was a child in grammar
school and continued into his teens, when he enrolled in acting at the Royal Academy
of Dramatic Art. After two unhappy years he switched to the Central School of Speech
and Drama. In his 20s Pinter toured Ireland performing Shakespeare, and acted on
the stages of London and smaller provincial repertory companies. At this time Pinter
was devoted to poems and short stories which for the most part remain unpublished.
Pinter wrote his first play, The Room (1957), in just a few days for a university
drama festival. The Birthday Party (1958) premiered in London to disastrous reviews
and a six-day run. Two years later Pinter came back with The Caretaker, an instant
success. Throughout the 1960s Pinter wrote for television, film and stage, gaining
popularity and respect, and in 1966 he was named a Commander of the Order of the
British Empire. Throughout his career Pinter not only wrote plays, but directed and
even acted in his own work.
Harold Pinters plays have an air of mystery, as characters personal qualities,
situations and motivations are left unexplained. Subtext dominates both the dialogue
and the silences: what is unspoken is often more important that what is spoken. The
plays begin in a light, often comical tone that gradually changes to one of anxiety,
conflict and fear where the threat of an unknown, powerful, often omniscient danger
prevails. This dark presence controls everything, including the characters lives. The
characters reaction to this danger is the source of conflict and action in Pinters plays.
Pinter is considered to be on the fringes of absurdist theatre. He creates the
premise of a realistic drama by writing surface dialogue and middle-class characters,
but adds an absurdist dimension by having his characters struggle with the
complexities of a dark, inhuman and inexplicable world.
Pinter achieved a great international reputation and is one of the most highly
respected playwrights in the world today. At age 75, he continues to write plays and
shows no sign of slowing down.
Plays by Harold Pinter: The Dumb Waiter (1957) No Mans Land (1975)
The Birthday Party (1958) Betrayal (1978)
The Homecoming (1965) A kind of Alaska (1982)
Old Times (1970) Moonlight (1993)
For a complete list, see www.haroldpinter.org/plays/index.shtml.The Dumb Waiter / The
Zoo Story Study Guide page 6
The Dumb Waiter: Background Information (page 1 of 1)
Themes
Miscommunication between individuals.
Arbitrary leadership.
The gap between social classes.
The expendability of individuals.
The struggle for equality and meaning.
Characters
Ben: A long-time hit man discontented with his job and life, becoming emotional and
childlike as he questions his duties. He is ashamed of the fact that he is part of the
lowest social class and dreams of a better life. Ben works in a field where he is
expected to do as he is told, not question orders and accept them as routine. His
newfound perspective is extremely dangerous. He forgets that within the world of

crime he is easily expendable and replaceable.

Gus: The more senior hit man. He has been Bens partner for a long time, but his
loyalty is to the boss, Winston. Gus accepts his criminal status and does not question
his social ranking. He is tired of listening to Ben ramble. He does his job as a matter
of course and spends his free time making model boats and creating woodwork.
Setting
The basement of an unspecified building in Birmingham, England.
Synopsis
The day begins like any other day for hit men Gus and Ben. Gus reads the paper and
Ben chats about the room. As they sit and wait for their orders, the tension mounts.
Ben questions their last job, and the very nature of their work. He is curious about
the details of the present job and wants to know more about their boss, Winston.
Bens banter irritates Gus and the tension escalates. When the dumb waiter in the
room springs to action, the two discover they are not alone in the building. They
frantically try to fulfill the requests that come in via the dumb waiter, including the
final one with the instructions for their next job.
What is a dumb waiter?
A dumb waiter is a small elevator used to transport meals and dirty dishes between
floors, usually in restaurants. It has a speaking tube enabling communication
between floors; however, one cannot speak and listen simultaneously. The dumb
waiter symbolizes the broken communication between Ben and Gus: they speak at one
another rather than to one another. The pulleys of the dumb waiter symbolize the
strings that Winston, the boss and puppet master, manipulates as he controls Bens
and Gus lives.The Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story Study Guide page 7
The Dumb Waiter: Lesson Plan #1 (page 1 of 5)
Topic: Minimal Scripts
Objective: Identify and understand subtext in The Dumb Waiter.
Grades: 1012
Materials: Chalkboard or chart paper, empty room, minimal scripts
(included herein).
Curriculum Links: ADA30 Theory - Role/Character
By the end of this course, students will: demonstrate an
understanding of subtext, motivation, and status in the
development of a character.
WarmUp/Engage
5 min
Students pair off and decide who is yes and who is no, then create
a dialogue using only these words. Students should improvise
with their body language and tone and volume of voice.
Encourage students not to pre-plan, but create their scene on the
spot. Ask students what kinds of relationships emerged. Was
there conflict and/ or resolution? Who had power? How was it
established?
Activate
35 min
A) Divide the class into new partners and distribute the scenes.

Have students read the script once without thinking of the

subtext.
B) As a class, create a list of locations. Some possibilities are:
Church Beach
Playground Restaurant
Graveyard School
Hotel Movie theatre
Bus Hospital
Subway Art gallery
Now have students read their scene again three times, each time
with a different location in mind.
continued on next page The Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story Study Guide page 8
The Dumb Waiter: Lesson Plan #1 (page 2 of 5)
Activate continued. C) Next have students brainstorm a list of characters and their
relationships. Some ideas are:
Mother-Daughter Father-Son
Teacher-Student Brother-Sister
Lifeguard-Patron Priest-Clergy
Boss-Assistant Salesperson-Shopper
Now have students read their scene again three times, each time
choosing a different character relationship.
D) Finally, have students choose one location and one
relationship and allow them to practise their scene and then
present it to the class. Encourage the class to determine and
discuss the subtext, the location and the relationship.
Analysis
10 min
(or homework)
Have the students write their choice of location and characters on
their script. Next, have them write the subtext beneath the actual
script.
Ask students to write a one-page report accompanying their script
to describe why they chose that particular subtext and that
particular location and character. Did something in the minimal
script evoke that choice for them?The Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story Study Guide page
9
The Dumb Waiter: Lesson Plan #1 (page 3 of 5)
Minimal Script Extension Exercise
Setting up the scene
Encourage students to explore silence. What happens before the characters speak?
Using the minimal scripts, tell students to create different scenarios before they speak
their lines. For example, one character could be sleeping, another eating; or perhaps
they are playing catch in the garden. Also allow your students time to play with
entrances and on-stage placement. From which side of the stage do characters enter?
Or are they both already on stage? What is the distance between characters? Have
the students consider how they can use blocking to tell the story before the characters

begin to speak (weather, location, prior circumstances, relationship, mood). Ask

students to try creating three different scenarios (each scenario should last at least
two minutes).
Discussion for next class after viewing the play
If you have a copy of the play The Dumb Waiter, introduce students to the light the
kettle vs. put on the kettle scene. Ask students to discuss the subtext in this scene.
What was really going on below the surface? Was it a discussion about syntax, or is
there a deeper meaning related to the power struggle between the characters? If you
do not have a copy of the play, describe this scene to your students and encourage
them to watch out for it while viewing the play, then discuss the subtext in the scene
when you get back to the classroom.The Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story Study Guide
page 10
The Dumb Waiter: Lesson Plan #1 (page 4 of 5)
Minimal Script #1
A: Have you seen it yet?
B: No, you?
A: Not yet.
B: How long have you been waiting?
A: Awhile
B: Me too.
(pause)
A: Is that it?
B: What?
A: Is that it?
B: Where?
A: Over there!
B: Where?
A: There!!!
B: Oh no, I dont think so.
A: Thats too bad.
B: Yeah.
Minimal Script #2
A: Its hot.
B: Do you really think so?
A: Yes.
B: I rather like it.
A: How could you like it?
B: It doesnt bother me.
A: But do you prefer it?
B: I dont mind it.
A: Are you sure?
B: Yes.
A: Suit yourself.The Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story Study Guide page 11
The Dumb Waiter: Lesson Plan #1 (page 5 of 5)
Minimal Script #3
A: Im ready.

B: Im coming.
A: I want to start.
B: Okay, go ahead, start.
A: Are you coming?
B: Yes, give me a minute.
A: Whats taking you so long?
B: Its not as easy as it looks.
A: Hurry up.
B: Ive almost got it.
A: Do you need my help?
B: No, Ill manage.
A: I have to go.
B: Fine. (pause) Go.
A: Are you mad?
B: Why would I be mad?
A: I really have to go.
B: Then go!
A: Fine, Im going.
B: Good.
Minimal Script #4
A: I understand.
B: I dont believe you do.
A: I know what you mean.
B: How could you possibly know?
A: I have my ways.
B: That is most unfair.
A: I was bound to find out sooner or later.
B: I cant believe you know.
A: Its okay.
B: What do you mean?
A: I understand.
B: I thought you would.The Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story Study Guide page 12
The Dumb Waiter: Lesson Plan #2 (page 1 of 1)
Topic: Newspaper Scenes
Objective: Use the media to create a scene.
Grades: 1012
Materials: Plenty of newspapers and an empty space.
Curriculum Links: ADA3M Creation
By the end of this course, students will: create a working
script for production, using a variety of strategies.
WarmUp/Engage
5 min
Present your class with three different newspaper headlines. Ask
the class to state the five Ws (who, what, where, when, why).
Activate Distribute newspapers to the class. Allow the students time to
skim through a couple of articles and choose one they like. Then

ask the students to identify the five Ws in their article.

Next, ask the students to pair off and create a scene using that
article as a basis for discussion. Students can first improvise the
scene, then script it. The scenes should not re-create the
newspaper story but discuss the newspaper story. Students
should make definite choices for characterization and location.
Give students ample time to rehearse their scenes and then
present them to the class.
Analysis Discuss how the media can be a tool for creating dramatic work.
After viewing The Dumb Waiter, ask students to recall a scene from
the media... In The Dumb Waiter, who read the story and who
reacted to it? How was the discussion of newspaper stories a
reflection of the relationship between Gus and Ben? Why does
Gus choose those particular stories to read to Ben?The Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story
Study Guide page 13
The Dumb Waiter: Post-Show Discussion Questions (page 1 of 1)
1. Michael Hanrahan and Stuart Hughes appear in the double bill The Zoo Story
and The Dumb Waiter. Consider and discuss the challenges and demands this backtoback structure creates.
2. What is the significance of the title of The Dumb Waiter?
3. What is a dumb waiter? What is the function of the dumb waiter in the play?
4. What is the relationship between Ben and Gus? Who is the more senior
partner? How do we as an audience learn who is more senior?
5. What is subtext? Can you describe the subtext in a scene from The Dumb
Waiter?
6. Where does the play take place? What do the characters do for a living? Who is
their boss?
7. What are the characters waiting for?
8. How does this play end? What is resolved? What is left unresolved?
9. In the confrontation during the last scene, one of the characters has a gun.
Who is it? Does the gun go off?
10. Pinter chooses to end his play in ambiguity. Neither character dies on stage.
What is the significance of this choice?The Dumb Waiter / The Zoo Story Study Guide
pag