Actor Ian Holm and Harold Pinter himself join the British and Irish imports crossing the Atlantic for a major retrospective of Pinter's plays at Lincoln Center this July. The Almedia Theatre, the Royal Court of London and the Gate Theatre of Dublin—all three much associated with the playwright—bring nine of Pinter's works to New York City, including the U.S. premiere of Celebration, July 24-28.

Pinter will star in the festival's opener, 1984's One for the Road, now staged by the Gate Theatre. Robin LeFevre directs Pinter and Indira Varma in the July 16-21 run. Road is paired with A Kind of Alaska, directed by Karol Reisz and starring Penelope Wilton, Stephen Brennan and Brid Brenna.

Holm, who created the role of Lenny in the world premiere of The Homecoming, plays the father Max in LeFevre's Gate Theatre production, running July 18-22. John Kavanagh, Nick Dunning, Ian Hart and Lia Williams also star.

Pinter will direct 1957's The Room, his first play, and Celebration, his latest satire, running in tandem July 24-28. Lindsay Duncan, Steve Pacey and Keith Allen star in this 1999 mockery of London's nouveau riches. Both plays offer up food and violence.

The final Pinter pieces will be 1967's Landscape (July 25-28) from the Gate, Monologue from the Almedia (July 19-22) and the Royal Court productions of Mountain Lounge and Ashes to Ashes (July 26-29). Ashes to Ashes, staged by the Roundabout Theatre, made its U.S. premiere in early 1999 with original London star Duncan and David Strathairn (Eyes For Consuela, Hapgood). Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theatre will also host a selection of Pinter on film July 23-29. The series highlights movies written by or adapted for the screen by Pinter.

— By Christine Ehren