Pause for the camera: the best of Harold Pinter – in pictures

Revisit the work of one of Britain’s greatest playwrights in the month that he would have turned 90

All photographs by

Main image: Dora Bryan (Meg) in The Birthday Party, 1994.
Photograph: Tristram Kenton/the Hlcarpenter.com

  • The Hothouse

    Celia Imrie (Miss Cutts) and Harold Pinter (Roote); directed by David Jones. Minerva theatre, Chichester, 1995.
    The Hothouse Harold Pinter (Roote) and Celia Imrie (Miss Cutts); directed by David Jones. Minerva theatre, Chichester, 1995.

  • Old Times

    Julie Christie (Kate); directed by Lindy Davies. Wyndham’s theatre, London, 1995.
    Old TimesJulie Christie, directed by Lindy Davies. Wyndham’s theatre, London, 1995.

  • Party Time

    Roger Lloyd Pack (Fred), Nicola Pagett (Charlotte), Gawn Grainger (Douglas), Cordelia Roche (Dusty), Barry Foster (Gavin), Dorothy Tutin (Melissa); directed by Harold Pinter. Almeida theatre, London, 1991.
    Party TimeRoger Lloyd Pack (Fred), Nicola Pagett (Charlotte), Gawn Grainger (Douglas), Cordelia Roche (Dusty), Barry Foster (Gavin), Dorothy Tutin (Melissa) directed by Harold Pinter. Almeida Theatre, 1991.

  • No Man’s Land

    Paul Eddington (Spooner) and Harold Pinter (Hirst); directed by David Leveaux. Almeida theatre, London, 1995.
    No Man’s LandPaul Eddington (Spooner) and Harold Pinter (Hirst) directed by David Leveaux. Almeida Theatre, 1995

  • Moonlight

    Ian Holm (Andy) and Anna Massey (Bel); directed by David Leveaux. Comedy theatre, London, 1993.
    Moonlight Ian Holm (Andy) and Anna Massey (Bel) directed by David Leveaux. Comedy theatre, London, 1993.

  • The Hothouse

    Finbar Lynch (Gibbs) and Lia Williams (Miss Cutts); directed by Ian Rickson and designed by Hildegard Bechtler. Lyttelton, National Theatre, London, 2007.
    The Hothouse Finbar Lynch (Gibbs) and Lia Williams (Miss Cutts) directed by Ian Rickson. Lyttelton Theatre, London, 2007.

  • The Caretaker

    Donald Pleasence (Davies) and Colin Firth (Aston); directed by Harold Pinter. The Comedy theatre, London, 1991.
    The Caretaker Donald Pleasence (Davies) and Colin Firth (Aston) directed by Harold Pinter. The Comedy theatre, London, 1991.

  • The Birthday Party

    Cecilia Noble (Lulu) and Peter Whitman (Goldberg); directed by Nancy Meckler. The Place theatre, London, 1990.
    The Birthday Party Peter Whitman (Goldberg) and Cecilia Noble (Lulu) directed by Nancy Meckler. The Place theatre, London, 1990.

  • The Birthday Party

    Dora Bryan (Meg); directed by Sam Mendes. Lyttelton, National Theatre, London, 1994.
    The Birthday Party Dora Bryan (Meg) directed by Sam Mendes. Lyttelton, National Theatre, London, 1994.

  • Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust, adapted by Harold Pinter

    Indira Varma and Sebastian Harcombe; directed by Di Trevis. Cottesloe, National Theatre, London, 2000.
    Remembrance Of Things Past by Marcel Proust, adapted by Harold Pinter Indira Varma and Sebastian Harcombe at the Cottesloe, National Theatre, 2000

  • Betrayal

    Kristin Scott Thomas (Emma) and Ben Miles (Robert); directed by Ian Rickson and designed by Jeremy Herbert. Comedy theatre, London, 2011.
    Betrayal Kristin Scott Thomas (Emma) and Ben Miles (Robert) directed by Ian Rickson. Comedy Theatre, 2011

  • Ashes to Ashes

    Lindsay Duncan (Rebecca) and Stephen Rea (Devlin); directed by Harold Pinter. Upstairs at the Royal Court, London, 1996.
    Ashes to AshesLindsay Duncan (Rebecca) and Stephen Rea (Devlin); directed by Harold Pinter. Upstairs at the Royal Court, London, 1996.

  • The Homecoming

    Ian Hart (Lenny), Lia Williams (Ruth) and Ian Holm; directed by Robin Lefevre. Comedy theatre, London, 2001.
    The Homecoming Lia Williams (Ruth), Ian Hart (Lenny) and Ian Holm, directed by Robin Lefevre. Comedy Theatre, 2001

  • Mountain Language

    Miranda Richardson (Young Woman) and Eileen Atkins (Elderly Woman); directed by Harold Pinter. Lyttelton, National Theatre, London, 1988.
    Mountain Language Miranda Richardson (L) and Eileen Atkins (R) Lyttelton, National Theatre, London, 1998.

  • The Homecoming

    Warren Mitchell (Max); directed by Peter Hall. Comedy theatre, London, 1991.
    The Homecoming Warren Mitchell (Max) Comedy Theatre, directed by Sir Peter Hall, 1991

  • Old Times

    Lia Williams (Kate), Kristin Scott Thomas (Anna) and Rufus Sewell (Deeley); directed by Ian Rickson and designed by Hildegard Bechtler. Harold Pinter theatre, London, 2013.
    Old Times Lia Williams (Kate), Kristin Scott Thomas (Anna) and Rufus Sewell (Deeley). Harold Pinter theatre, London, 2013.

  • The Hothouse

    Stephen Moore (Roote) and Paul Ritter (Lush); directed by Ian Rickson and designed by Hildegard Bechtler. Lyttelton, National Theatre, London, 2007.
    The Hothouse Stephen Moore (Roote) and Paul Ritter (Lush), directed by Ian Rickson, Lyttelton Theatre, 2007

  • Betrayal

    Bill Nighy (Jerry) and Cheryl Campbell (Emma); directed by David Leveaux. Almeida theatre, London, 1991.
    BetrayalCheryl Campbell (Emma) and Bill Nighy (Jerry) Directed by David Leveaux. Almeida Theatre, 1991

  • No Man’s Land

    Andy de la Tour (Briggs) and Corin Redgrave (Hirst); directed by Harold Pinter. Lyttelton, National Theatre, London, 2001.
    No Man’s Land Andy de la Tour and Corin Redgrave, directed by Harold Pinter. Lyttelton, National Theatre, London, 2001.

  • No Man’s Land

    Michael Gambon (Hirst), David Walliams (Foster) and David Bradley (Spooner); directed by Rupert Goold. Duke of York’s theatre, London, 2008.
    No Man’s Land Michael Gambon (Hirst), David Walliams (Foster) and David Bradley (Spooner), directed by Rupert Goold, Duke of York’s theatre, London, 2008.

  • Old Times

    Jeremy Northam (Deeley) and Helen McCrory (Anna); directed by Roger Michell and designed by William Dudley. Donmar theatre, London, 2004.
    Old Times Jeremy Northam (Deeley) and Helen McCrory (Anna) directed by Roger Michell, Donmar theatre, London, 2004.

  • The Dumb Waiter and Other Pieces

    Jason Watkins and Toby Jones in What’s Your Trouble; directed by Douglas Hodge. Oxford Playhouse, 2004.
    The Dumb Waiter and Other Pieces Jason Watkins and Toby Jones in What’s Your Trouble, directed by Douglas Hodge, Oxford Playhouse, 2004.

  • The Homecoming

    Neil Dudgeon (Teddy), Anthony O’Donnell (Sam), Nigel Lindsay (Lenny), Kenneth Cranham (Max), Danny Dyer (Joey) and Jenny Jules (Ruth); directed by Michael Attenborough. Almeida theatre, London, 2008.
    The Homecoming Neil Dudgeon (Teddy), Anthony O’Donnell (Sam), Nigel Lindsay (Lenny), Kenneth Cranham (Max), Danny Dyer (Joey) and Jenny Jules (Ruth), directed by Michael Attenborough, Almeida theatre, London, 2008.

  • Betrayal

    Dervla Kirwan (Emma) and Samuel West (Robert); directed by Roger Michell. Donmar Warehouse, London, 2007.
    Betrayal Dervla Kirwan (Emma) and Samuel West (Robert), directed by Roger Michell, Donmar Warehouse, London, 2007.

  • The Dumb Waiter

    Jason Isaacs (Ben) and Lee Evans (Gus); directed by Harry Burton and designed by Peter McKintosh. Trafalgar Studios, London, 2007.
    The Dumb WaiterJason Isaacs (Ben) and Lee Evans (Gus); directed by Harry Burton and designed by Peter McKintosh. Trafalgar Studios, London, 2007.

  • Harold Pinter, 1995.
    Harold Pinter, 1995.
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