''The Basement'' is a television play (later a stage play) by Harold Pinter. It was written first as a screenplay for a film, then revised for television and broadcast on 20 February 1967.

Origin: "The Compartment"

''The Basement'' is based on "The Compartment" (1965), an unpublished 27-page screenplay (circulated only in typescript) that Pinter wrote in 1963–65 "for a film never made, planned as part of a triple-bill, ''Project I'' promoted by Grove Press, New York, with Samuel Beckett's '' Film'' 965and Eugène Ionesco's '' The Hard-Boiled Egg''" (Baker and Ross 112). Of the three works planned for this trilogy of films, "only ''Film'' would be produced, being released in 1965" (112). According to Pinter's official authorised biographer Michael Billington, also cited by Baker and Ross (112), "Pinter's contribution ''The Compartment'' lay dormant until he rewrote it for television as ''The Basement''" (Billington 191).

Setting

The "''exterior''" and ''"interior''" of "''a basement flat''" in various seasons and at various times of day and night (''Two Plays and a Film Script'' 91–112).

Synopsis

Two men, (Tim) Law and (Charles) Stott, compete for possession of and dominance over a "basement flat" and their at-times mutual girlfriend, Jane. During the course of the play, they reverse roles with relation to each other, to the ownership or possession of the flat, and to their relationship with or possession of Jane. The changing furnishings of the room reflect their changing roles and who is in power over whom at various points in time. At first Jane appears to be submissive in relation to the men; but as the action develops, at times she appears to dominate each man and both of them. The character relationships between Stott and Law and the basic plot resemble Pinter's prose fiction works "Kullus" and "The Examination".

Characters

*Law, "''a man''" *Stott, "''a man''" *Jane, "''a girl''"

Productions

Television première

First transmitted on 20 February 1967,See ''The Basement'', in ''Plays: Three'' 150 and in ''Three Plays and a Filmscript'' 91; and the same production details listed i
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stage production, entitled "Pinter Propriety", by Irving Wardle, first published in the ''

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;Cast: *

Derek Godfrey Derek Godfrey (3 June 1924 – 18 June 1983) was an English actor, associated with the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1960, who also appeared in several films and BBC television dramatisations during the 1960s and 1970s. Born in London, he perfo ...

, Law * Harold Pinter, Stott *

Kika Markham Erika S.L. "Kika" Markham (born 1940)''birth registered 4th quarter (Oct, Nov, Dec) 1940'' is an English actress. Early life Markham is a daughter of actor David Markham and writer Olive Dehn (1914–2007). She has three sisters: Petra, Sonia ...

, Jane

Stage première: Eastside Playhouse, New York, October 1968

''The Basement'' was first produced on stage at the Eastside Playhouse, in New York City, in October 1968, as part of a double bill with Pinter's play ''

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'', directed by James Hammerstein. ;Cast: *Ted van Griethuysen, Law *James Ray Jane, Stott *Margo Ann Berdeshevsky, Jane ;Stage personnel: *Ed Wittstein, Scenery * Neil Peter Jampolis, Lighting *Deidre Cartier, Costumes''The Basement'' (in double bill with ''Tea Party'')
''HaroldPinter.org''. Harold Pinter, 2000–

Web. 23 March 2009.

Duchess Theatre, London, September 1970

Hammerstein also directed another stage production at the

, in London, on 17 September 1970 (''The Basement'', ''HaroldPinter.org'') with a new cast. ;Cast: *

Donald Pleasence Donald Henry Pleasence (; 5 October 1919 – 2 February 1995) was an English actor. He began his career on stage in the West End before transitioning into a screen career, where he played numerous supporting and character roles including RAF ...

, Law * Barry Foster, Stott *

Stephanie Beacham Stephanie Beacham (born 28 February 1947) is an English television, film, radio and theatre actress. Although she has a wide number of credits to her name, Beacham is best known for for playing Sable Colby in the ABC soap operas ''The Colbys' ...

, Jane

Notes

Works cited

Baker, William, and John C. Ross, comps. ''Harold Pinter: A Bibliographical History''. London:

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(BL); New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press (OKP), 2005. (BL). (OKP). Billington, Michael. ''Harold Pinter''. 1996. London: Faber and Faber, 2007. Pinter, Harold. ''The Basement''. In ''Plays: Three''. London:

Eyre Methuen Methuen Publishing Ltd is an English publishing house. It was founded in 1889 by Sir Algernon Methuen (1856–1924) and began publishing in London in 1892. Initially Methuen mainly published non-fiction academic works, eventually diversifying t ...

, 1978. . –––. ''The Lover, Tea Party, The Basement: Two Plays and a Film Script''. New York: Grove Press, 1967. (An Evergreen Book E-432). –––. ''Tea Party and Other Plays''. London: Methuen, 1967. British first ed.; published 15 June 1967. (Baker and Ross 54–55).

External links

''The Basement''
at ''HaroldPinter.org'' – ''The Official Website of the International Playwright Harold Pinter'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Basement (Play) 1967 television plays Plays by Harold Pinter Films with screenplays by Harold Pinter