‘For Joan it was a confession, or a diary, for Harold it was a work of art.’
In this latest edition of MTC Talks, Fiona Gruber speaks to theatre critic and Harold Pinter biographer, Michael Billington, about Pinter, his writing and his affair with TV presenter Joan Bakewell on which his play, Betrayal, is based.
‘If they’re doing theatre in 100 years time, I think they’ll be doing Pinter … I think his plays have that quality of durability.’
You can listen to the interview by clicking the Play button below.
Harold Pinter’s Betrayal, is playing at Southbank Theatre from 26 August.
You can learn more about the play, and book tickets, here.
In this podcast
Fiona Gruber is a features writer and broadcaster on the arts for a range of publications including The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Guardian, The Australian Book Review, Opera Now and The Times Literary Supplement. She produces and presents features for ABC Radio National’s Books and Arts Daily, formerly worked on ABCTV’s Sunday Arts and hosted a weekly arts program, The Opening on PBSFM. She co-founded the fabled arts club, Gert’s Sunday Salon, which won a Green Room Award for services to cabaret. You can receive updates from Fiona Gruber on Twitter.
Theatre critic Michael Billington was educated at St Catherine’s College, Oxford, and began working as a journalist in Liverpool. He worked as Public Liaison Officer and Director for Lincoln Theatre Company (1962-4) and began reviewing films, plays and television programmes for The Times in 1965. He became film critic for the Birmingham Post and the Illustrated London News in 1968. He has been the drama critic of The Guardian newspaper since 1971, is drama critic for Country Life magazine and has written frequently for the New York Times. He is a regular contributor to radio and television programmes and was a former presenter of the BBC Radio 4 arts programmes ‘Kaleidoscope’ and ‘Critics’ Forum’. His books include biographies of the playwrights Tom Stoppard, Alan Ayckbourn and Harold Pinter.
Published on 17 August 2015