Gate gala: stars celebrate Pinter’s birthday

STARS of stage and screen turned out in force in Dublin this weekend to celebrate the 75th birthday of renowned international playwright, Harold Pinter.

Many leading names in the Irish and British theatrical establishment joined the London-born writer at a gala dinner last night to wind up a weekend of celebrations to mark his birthday which is today.

Gate Theatre director, Michael Colgan organised the series of festivities for the man described as Britain’s greatest living playwright culminating in a theatrical dinner last night at a favourite acting haunt, the Unicorn restaurant on Dublin’s Merrion Row.

Among the celebrities who attended the event were Michael Gambon, Jeremy Irons, Stephen Rea, Sinead Cusack and Penelope Wilton.

“He’s a giant of the theatre, up there with Beckett and Friel,” said Colgan. “He continuously wins new audiences with his work. As a director you want to put on great plays to attract great actors and Mr Pinter is absolutely ideal for that. Some of the actors taking part in the Gate’s celebration appeared in the original productions of Mr Pinter’s plays.”

Mr Pinter’s 75th birthday was marked by the Dublin Theatre Festival with a series of readings, films and discussions. They included readings of Family Voices and Celebration, while two of his plays, Old Times and Betrayal were also being staged at the Gate as part of the festival.

Mr Pinter’s landmark birthday has been virtually ignored in Britain, apart from the premiere on BBC Radio 3 of his new 29- minute musical-dramatic collaboration with composer, James Clarke, entitled Voices.

The Gate has already organised three festivals of the writer’s work including one in New York in 2001.

Commenting on his own birthday, the dramatist remarked: “A man of 75 needs a bit of affection and it’s nice it’s coming from Dublin.”

“I’m very moved by the presence of so many actors I’ve worked with over the years,” he added.

Mr Pinter was appointed a Commander of the British Empire in 1966 and became a Companion of Honour in 2002.

He has written more than 400 plays during his long career including The Caretaker, The Dumb Waiter and fittingly, The Birthday Party. In recent years, he has fought a successful battle against cancer of the oesophagus.