Too Much Embellishment Obscures The Clean Lines Of Pinter S The Room

Harold Pinter started out 1957 as a 26-year-old English actor of no particular distinction, working as “David Baron.” But then, the story has it, a director friend named Henry Woolf asked Pinter to write a quick play for him. Pinter had done some poetry and fiction before, but never a play. He refused Woolf’s invitation, saying he’d need a minimum of six months to come up with something. Yet four days later Woolf received Pinter’s script for The Room, which A Red Orchid Theatre is currently presenting in a rare and interesting, if flawed, revival.

Sound familiar?

Through 11/13: Thu-Sat 8 PM, Sun 3 PM, A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells, 312-943-8722, aredorchidtheatre.org, $30-$35