The major new revival of Harold Pinter's The Caretaker, which opened at the Comedy Theatre in the West End on Nov. 15, 2000, and stars Michael Gambon, will travel to Broadway this fall, reported the New York Post. The American producers are Robert Fox and Scott Rudin. The English production of Pinter's modern classic also featured Rupert Graves and Douglas Hodge, and was directed by Closer author Patrick Marber. The Post did not report if those artists would repeat their duties.

Gambon last appeared on the Broadway stage in David Hare's Skylight a few seasons back. Graves, meanwhile, was one of the stars of Marber's Closer, two seasons ago.

Meanwhile, the Post also reported that busy producer David Richenthal is readying another Pinter production for Broadway: Old Times starring Ralph Fiennes and directed by David Leveaux. Information on this venture was somewhat less definite, but, if the play happened, Richenthal would have three productions on Broadway next season, including Long Day's Journey Into Night and The Crucible.

In Pinter's Caretaker, two brothers (Graves and Hodge) indulge in a power game at the expense of a tramp called Davies (Gambon). The last major revival of The Caretaker, which was also seen at the Comedy Theatre, was in 1991 when Donald Pleasance, who originally played Davies in 1960, returned to the role.

A veteran stage actor, Gambon was one of the original members of the National Theatre Company under Laurence Olivier at the Old Vic. Recent stage appearances have included, in the West End, Cressida, Tom and Clem and Yasmina Reza's The Unexpected Man, and in Dublin, Juno and the Paycock. His television credits include Dennis Potter's "The Singing Detective," for which he won many awards, and on film, he has recently appeared in "Dancing at Lughnasa," "Sleepy Hollow" and "The Insider." Douglas Hodge is considered one of the country's foremost Pinter actors. Since 1993, he has appeared in major productions of the author's The Collection, The Lover, Betrayal, Moonlight and No Man's Land. Rupert Graves' recent stage credits include Patrick Marber's Closer on Broadway and Hurly Burly in the West End. His film credits include "Mrs. Dalloway," "Different for Girls," "Intimate Relations," "The Madness of King George" and "A Room with a View."

Marber's directorial credits include his own plays, Dealer's Choice and the multi award-winning Closer, as well as 1953, Blue Remembered Hills and the 1998 Royal Court production of David Mamet's The Old Neighborhood.

The Comedy Theatre has a long association with Pinter. In addition to the last revival of The Caretaker, it has in the past decade housed productions of The Homecoming, The Hothouse, Moonlight and No Man's Land. Some Pinter fans have suggested that the theatre should be renamed in honor of the playwright, who celebrates his 70th birthday in October 2000.

—Robert Simonson
and Terri Paddock