'What's going on here': The actor and the phenomenon of mystery in the plays of Harold Pinter

This study examines the phenomenon of mystery in the plays of Harold Pinter from the perspective of the actor. Chapter One reviews critical treatment of mystery. Chapter Two defines the "Pinter Paradox," a particular relationship deriving from Pinter's use of mystery and the demands placed upon the actor in performance. Focusing on The Dumb Waiter and The Birthday Party, Chapter Three explores ways in which mystery challenges the actor, ways in which the actor may respond to those challenges, and ways in which those responses affect spectator engagement with a performance. Examining Old Times, Chapter Four addresses ways in which a Pinter text can de-mystify itself for the actor. Chapter Five offers final conclusions. Through controlled exercises using actors at American Conservatory Theater, I offer a performance-oriented exploration of mystery.; Pinter writes that "the explicit form (of drama) which is so often taken in twentieth-century drama is ... cheating." As he rejects the explicit, Pinter creates mystery, challenging both the actor and the spectator in unique ways. Faced with the task of generating action (the essential building block of drama), the actor finds himself confronted with a seeming paucity of explicit information normally considered essential to performance. Similarly, the spectator finds himself confronted with a performance text which does not, by itself, provide ready or explicit answers. The actor, we learn, must resolve mystery and fix meaning in order to perform effectively. In so doing, he provides a dramatically readable experience for the spectator and uses mystery as a source of revelation and meaning in performance.