Interview (1959)

Harold Pinter

Play script

English

A pornographic bookseller, Mr Jakes, is subjected to the usual pre-Christmas radio or television interview about seasonal trade. He puts holly around the shop but it doesn't seem to make much difference. Gradually Mr Jakes reveals that he is dreaming of imprisoning all his customers, because every single one of them is a communist. This sketch was first performed on BBC Radio in 1964.

Date of Composition: 1959 Confidence Level

Linked Works

No Linked works have been added to this work record yet.

Linked Places

No Linked places have been added to this work record yet.

Publishers

Eyre Methuen on (4 May 1978)

Appears in 'Plays: Three', 1st edition.

Methuen London Ltd on (1986)

Appears in 'Plays: Three', reprint.

Methuen Drama on (1989)

Appears in 'Plays: Three', reprint.

Dramatists Play Service, Inc. on (18 October 1965)

Appears in 'The Dwarfs and Eight Review Sketches', American acting edition, first version.

NB Baker and Ross indicate a 1961 British edition, but their presentation of it puzzles me. See p. 51-52. (BC)

Faber and Faber Ltd on (4 February 1991)

Appears in 'Plays: Three', reprint.

Grove Press on (15 June 1978)

Appears in 'Complete Works: Three', 1st edition.

Characters

Interviewer (Age: Not specified)

Appears in the sketch Interview (pub. 1961).

Jakes (Age: Not specified, Male)

Appears in the sketch Interview (pub. 1961)

Resources

Full text on Drama Online (URL)

Type: Script

External Link: https://www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/plays/interview-iid-129835/do-9780571291786-div-80000081

Subscription required

Sources

William Baker and John C. Ross's biographical history of Harold Pinter's work

William Baker and John C. Ross, Harold Pinter: A Bibliographical History (London: British Library; New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press, 2005)

Bibliography

On pp. 51-52 Baker and Ross provide the publication information for the sketch.

Martin Esslin's Pinter the Playwright

Martin Esslin, Pinter the Playwright, 6th edn (London: Methuen, 2000)

Academic book

The summary of the sketch provided above is taken from Esslin's own description on p. 226.

Amazon Media Website (UK)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dwarfs-Revue-Sketches-Harold-Pinter/dp/0822217333

URL

Note that the specific date of publication for the 1999 American acting edition containing 'Applicant' has been retrieved from a a British vendor's website.

Amazon Media Website (UK)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plays-Three-Homecoming-Landscape-Applicant/dp/057116076X

URL

The specific day, month and year of publication for the 1991 reprint of 'Plays: Three', which contains 'Applicant', has been retrieved from the vendor's website.

Harold Pinter's Official Website

http://haroldpinter.org/plays/index.shtml

URL

Information about the date of composition (finished) taken from the site's webpage for Pinter's plays [accessed 20 October 2019].