THE DUMB WAITER Englishby Harold Pinter THE DUMB WAITER was first presented at the Hampstead Theatre l!b on "#st $an!ary% #&'(% with the following )ast*BE+ +i)holas ,elby-U, -eorge To.ey THE DUMB WAITER was s!bse/!ently presented at the Royal o!rt Theatre on 0th Mar)h% #&'(%with the same )ast1Scene * A basement room. Two beds, flat against the back wall. A serving hatch, closed, between the beds. A door to the kitchen and lavatory, left. A door to a passage, right.BE+ is lying on a bed, left, reading a paper1 -U, is sitting on a bed, right, tying his shoelaces, withdifficulty. Both are dressed in shirts, trousers and braces1Silence1-U, ties his laces, rises, yawns and begins to walk slowly to the door, left. He stops, looks down, and shakes his foot1BE+ lowers his paper and watches him1 -U, kneels and unties his shoe-lace and slowly takes off the shoe. He looks inside it and brings out a flattened matchbo. He shakes it and eamines it. Their eyes meet1 BE+ rattles his paper and reads1 -U, puts the matchbo in his pocket and bendsdown to put on his shoe. He ties his lace, with difficulty1 BE+ lowers his paper and watches him1 -U, walks to the door1 -U, puts the packet in his pocket, bends down, puts on his shoe and tie the lace.He wanders off, left1BE+ slams the paper down on the bed and glares after him. He picks up the paper and lies on hisback, reading.Silence.A lavatory chain is pulled twice off, left, but the lavatory does not flush. Silence1 -U, re-enters, left, and halts at the door, scratching his head1 BE+ slams down the paper1BE+1 2aw 3 He picks up the paper. What abo!t this4 5isten to this 3 He refers to the paper1A man of eighty6se.en wanted to )ross the road1 B!t there was a lot of traffi)% see 4 He )o!ldn7t see how he was going to s/!ee8e thro!gh1 ,o he )rawled !nder a lorry1-U,1 He what 4BE+1 He )rawled !nder a lorry1 A stationary lorry1-U,1 +o 4BE+1 The lorry started and ran o.er him1-U,1 -o on 3BE+1 That7s what it says here1-U,1 -et away1BE+1 It7s eno!gh to ma9e yo! want to p!9e% isn7t it 4-U,1 Who ad.ised him to do a thing li9e that 4BE+1 A man of eighty6se.en )rawling !nder a lorry 3-U,1 It7s !nbelie.able1BE+1 It7s down here in bla)9 and white1-U,1 In)redible1Silence.-U, shakes his head and eits1 BE+ lies back and reads. The lavatory chain is pulled once off left, but the lavatory does not flush.BE+ whistles at an item in the paper1-U, re-enters1I want to as9 yo! something1BE+1 What are yo! doing o!t there4-U,1 Well% I was :!st66BE+1 What abo!t the tea4-U,1 I7m :!st going to ma9e it1BE+1 Well% go on% ma9e it1 -U,1 ;es% I will1 )ept for right in the middle% where the )!p goes% where it7s white1BE+ reads1Then the plates are the same% yo! see1 ?nly they7.e got abla)9 stripe66the plates66right a)ross the middle1 ;es%I7m /!ite ta9en with the )ro)9ery1BE+