The Dumb Waiter
The Dumb Waiter

The Dumb Waiter (1957)

The Dumb Waiter

Harold Pinter

Play script

English

A one act play, The Dumb Waiter revolves around two would-be assassins waiting to learn what their next assignment will be. These men, Ben and Gus, appear to be polar opposites: Ben takes orders as they come without question, while Gus nervously awaits new assignments, peppering Ben with questions. As the men await their newest assignment an unknown person sends down a series of food orders via a dumb waiter, while the duo’s unseen boss, Wilson, keeps changing their instructions. In the end, it is revealed that Gus is next victim.

Browse productions of The Dumb Waiter in the database

Date of Composition: 1957 - September 1957   Confidence Level  

Linked Works

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

Linked Places

Birmingham (Type of place: Location (within the fiction))

Birmingham

The events of The Dumb Waiter take place in a basement of a house in Birmingham, the UK's second largest city. Gus suggests going to see a football match at 'Villa' (referring to Aston Villa FC) if they are still in Birmingham the next day.


Publishers

Methuen on (1960)

Characters

Gus (Age: Not specified, Male)

Ben (Age: Not specified, Male)

Resources

Full text on Drama Online (URL)

Type: Script

External Link: https://www.dramaonlinelibrary.com/plays/the-dumb-waiter-iid-129726

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Sources

Stage Agent Website

http://stageagent.com/shows/play/5377/the-dumb-waiter

URL

The summary of the play is taken and adapted from the Stage Agent website, a resource for theatre artists.

Correspondence from Pinter to Jimmy Law

Add MS 89182/1, British Library Manuscripts

Library archive

Pinter writes to Law in November 1957 to justify his choice of title for the play, with reference to the Encyclopedia Brittanica definition of a dumb waiter.

Correspondence from Pinter to Henry Woolf

ADD MS 89094/4, British Library Manuscripts

Library archive

In a letter dated September 1957, Pinter indicates to Woolf that he has written a new play entitled The Shaft.