The Catskill Chronicle

Story and photos by Ted Waddell

LIBERTY – In the wake of a successful four-day run, “The Dumbwaiter” by Harold Pinter is back for a second four-day series of performances at the Liberty Free Theatre Thursday-Sunday, October 1-4. All shows are at 7:30 p.m., and in the tradition of the local theatre are “always free.”

Two partners of a crew are waiting in a dingy basement, waiting for their next ‘assignment’, and as the tension mounts between them, a sense of dread noir begins to build, as Pinter leads the audience into a multi-layered maze leading to an enigmatic ending.

The one-act play highlights the Nobel Laureate’s “strange and compelling talent” and established him as a master of what would become known as a “comedy of menace.”

Paul Jannicola, a singer/songwriter and multi-instrument musician appears as “Gus”, the junior member of the two-man crew. Mike “Friz” Frizalone, an actor/writer/singer, portrays “Ben”, the senior partner.

“I selected the play because I love it, it’s film noir with a dark sense of humor,” said Paul Austin, founder and artistic director of the Liberty Free Theatre. “Pinter is a major international figure writing in the English language, and to me the fact that he is a major figure doesn’t spell celebrity, it spells universality…he hits a nerve that applies to all of us.”

Austin said “The Dumbwaiter” touches on the relationship between power and powerlessness, as the audience witnesses the interplay between the two-man crew getting ready for their next ‘job’, and addresses the relationship between men and women, as “Gus” and “Ben” remain haunted by their last assignment which involved taking out a girl.

“Part of what good writing is about is that is doesn’t get spelled out for you,” said Austin.“What a really good play does is ask us to take another look at the human condition, and our experiences.”

In “The Dumbwaiter”, Pinter’s ability as a dramatic poet is evident in the challenging play, as he adds a sense of dark rhythm to the foreboding setting – complete with a blue-lit dumbwaiter conveying mysterious messages – and the complex minds of the characters. Taking a hint from Hamlet, Austin said that a great actor holds up a mirror to nature at a particular angle and twists it a bit to achieve a slightly different view of the world.

“It illuminates it once again, and renews your curiosity and involvement.”

Seating is limited and reservations are recommended. The audience is invited to gather after the performances for food, drink and music. The Liberty Free Theatre is located at 109 South Main Street in Liberty, NY. For information/reservations, call 845-292-3788.

To view more photos from Dread Noir Times Two visit the Chronicle on Zenfolio.