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How far would you go to make peace with your enemies?
The Harold Pinter Theatre (formerly The Comedy Theatre), is a London West End theatre that opened on Panton Street in the City of Westminster on 15 October 1881. It was known then as the Royal Comedy Theatre.
The theatre was designed by Thomas Verity and built in just six months in painted stucco stone and brick. By 1884 it was known as just the Comedy Theatre.
In 1883, the successful operetta Falka had its London première at The Harold Pinter Theatre, and in 1885, Erminie did the same. The Harold Pinter's reputation grew through World War I when Charles Blake Cochran and André Charlot presented their famous revue shows. In the mid-1950s West End's Harold Pinter Theatre underwent major reconstruction and re-opened in December 1955, the auditorium remains essentially that of 1881, with three tiers of horseshoe-shaped balconies.
The Harold Pinter Theatre was notable for the role it played in overturning stage censorship by establishing the New Watergate Club in 1956, under producer Anthony Field. The outdated Theatres Act 1843 still required scripts to be submitted for approval by the Lord Chamberlain's Office. Formation of the club allowed plays that had been banned due to language or subject matter to be performed under 'club' conditions. Plays produced in this way at The Harold Pinter included the UK premieres of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge, Robert Anderson's Tea and Sympathy and Tennessee Williams' Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. The law was not revoked until 1968, but in the late 1950s there was a loosening of conditions in theatre censorship, the club was dissolved and Peter Shaffer's Five Finger Exercise premiered to a public audience.
The Harold Pinter Theatre was Grade II listed by English Heritage in June 1972.
The Homecoming, No-man's Land, Moonlight, The Hothouse and The Caretaker have all been presented at The Harold Pinter in recent years. Maureen Lipman has also graced The Harold Pinter stage, starring in Alan Plater's highly acclaimed comedy, Peggy For You. But the theatre's two biggest successes were The Caretaker starring Michael Gambon in 2000 and an eight-week sell-out run of Little Malcolm and his Struggle Against the Eunuchs in 1999, starring Ewan McGregor and directed by Denis Lawson, which smashed all box office records. More recently, Francesca Annis and Anthony Andrews have starred in Ibsen's Ghosts and 2004 saw the much-lauded revival of RC Sherriff's Journey's End and a successful run of The Old Masters by Simon Gray, starring Edward Fox and Peter Bowles . This production was directed by Harold Pinter, after whom the then Comedy Theatre was, of course, renamed The Harold Pinter Theatre.
In January 2005, Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall starred in Peter Hall's London production of Whose Life Is It Anyway? by Brian Clark, followed by Tom Courtenay in Brian Friel's The Home Place and Joseph Fiennes and Francesca Annis in Epitaph for George Dillon by John Osborne and Anthony Creighton. The Harold Pinter Theatre London has also played host to Steptoe and Son, Michael Frayn's Donkey's Years, The Rocky Horror Show, and the hilarious high-flying comedy, Boeing-Boeing.
As of 8th of September 2011, The Comedy Theatre was renamed as The Harold Pinter Theatre and famously put on a marathon season of Pinter shows from 2018-19 dubbed the Pinter at the Pinter season.
Macbeth is the current production at Harold Pinter Theatre. The latest booking period for Macbeth at Harold Pinter Theatre started 01/10/2024 19:30:00 and runs until 05/12/2024 19:30:00. Tickets for Macbeth start at £303 and are available to book now.
Slava's SnowShow is the current production at Harold Pinter Theatre. The latest booking period for Slava's SnowShow at Harold Pinter Theatre started 01/01/2018 14:30:00 and runs until 12/01/2025 18:00:00. Tickets for Slava's SnowShow start at £30 and are available to book now.
Harold Pinter Theatre is located in London. The full address is Harold Pinter Theatre, Panton Street, London SW1Y 4DN.
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How far would you go to make peace with your enemies?
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Pinter 5 tickets are now available to see Jane Horrocks in the Pinter Season
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David Tennant to star in C.P. Taylor's Good!
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Pinter 6 tickets are now available to see Tracy-Ann Oberman and Celia Imrie in the Pinter at the Pinter Season
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New adaptation of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya to star Toby Jones and Richard Armitage.
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Jennifer Saunders reprises her role in Blithe Spirit, coming to the Harold Pinter Theatre in 2021
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Book your Pinter 7 tickets now to see Danny Dyer and Martin Freeman in the Pinter at the Pinter Season
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"What people you know can party through all of the earth's elements?"
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New adaptation of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya to star Toby Jones and Richard Armitage.
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Book Pinter 4 tickets now to see Jessica Barden and Peter Polycarpou in the Pinter Season
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Witness this brilliant story of navigating trauma based on Hanya Yanagihara's novel!
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Nina Raine’s ‘blistering new play’ (New York Times) makes a triumphant and timely transfer to the Harold Pinter Theatre.
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Captain Corelli’s Mandolin is poised to make a splash at the West End's Harold Pinter Theatre.
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Harold Pinter's classic play features a trio of Olivier Award winners.
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Ruth Wilson stars in The Human Voice this spring!
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The new Harold Pinter season at the Pinter featuring directors Jamie Lloyd and Lia Williams
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Emilia Clarke stars in The Seagull
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The new Harold Pinter season at the Pinter featuring David Suchet
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Mark Rylance and Louis Jenkins’ critically-acclaimed new comic play Nice Fish transfers to the West End this November
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Starring Brendan Coyle, Rupert Grint, Daniel Mays, Colin Morgan and Ben Whishaw
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Following a sold-out run at the Almedia Theatre, the critically acclaimed production transfers to the West End
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Anna X ; Starring Golden Globe Award-winner Emma Corrin (Netflix’s The Crown)
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James McAvoy to star in Cyrano de Bergerac tickets now on sale!
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Tom Hiddleston will take to the West End stage in Pinter’s Betrayal
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The Watsons transfers to London's West End for a 2020 summer run at the Harold Pinter Theatre!
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Jodie Comer stars in Prima Facie in 2022.
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The RE:EMERGE season begins with Walden starring Gemma Arterton.
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Ralph Fiennes in the West End
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Ben Elton comes to London for a limited run this holiday season!
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The new Harold Pinter season at the Pinter featuring Tamsin Greig
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Kristin Scott Thomas and Lily James reunite to star in Penelope Skinner's new play!
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The iconic Edward Albee's play returning to the West End with a stellar cast!
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What will be said in Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons at the Harold Pinter Theatre?
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Witness Dr. Semmelweis' ground-breaking discovery that shook the world of medicine
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The Webb sisters return to the family guesthouse to say farewell to their dying mother.
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The beloved fairytale gets a drag makeover by Drag Race alumni and many more famous queens
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The musical adaptation of a manga favourite story, Your Lie in April, comes to London!
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Expect catchy music, lots of dancing and heaps of fun from world sensation Blippi!
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★★★★★ 'A Blazing Triumph. I Swear You’ll Get Goosebumps' Telegraph