San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre will do a double bill of Harold Pinter to start off their 2001-02 season, and to explain both pieces in an audience talk, they've enlisted none other than Pinter himself. The author of The Homecoming, The Caretaker and Betrayal will reflect on his great body of work with ACT artistic director Carey Perloff Oct. 15 in the Geary Theater.
Only ACT subscribers can call for free tickets to the event. To reserve, phone (415) 749-2228 or visit the box office at 405 Geary Street.
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Peter Riegert and Diane Venora head up the ACT staging of the Harold Pinter double bill, The Room and Celebration. The pairing, which recently played at the Lincoln Center Theatre Festival, will be directed by ACT artistic director Perloff. The Room and Celebration play Sept. 13-Oct. 14 in the Geary Theatre.
Riegert's New York credits include David Mamet's The Old Neighborhood, An American Daughter, The Road to Nirvana and Pinter's The Birthday Party, directed by Perloff. Known for her Shakespearean roles, Venora has played Hamlet and Gertrude in Hamlet, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth on Broadway and in the film versions of "Romeo + Juliet" and "Hamlet" with Ethan Hawke. Joining them will be ACT's new core acting company Rene Augesen, Marco Barricelli, Steven Anthony Jones and Gregory Wallace. Also in the cast are Joan McMurtrey, David Conrad, Anthony Fusco and Atosa Babaoff.
The Room was Pinter's first play to have produced, while Celebration is his latest work. The Room takes place in the apartment occupied by Rose and her husband Bert, who works as a driver. Each knock on the door brings a visitor who feels he or she has some claim to the room Rose and Bert share. Celebration, on the other hand, takes place in a noisy restaurant where several couples insult each other as they interwine at a post-theatre meal.
American Conservatory Theatre's Geary Theater is located at 415 Geary Street. For reservations, call (415) 749-2250. American Conservatory Theatre is on the web at www.act-sfbay.org.
