The Ambassador Theatre Group has announced it is to rename the Comedy theatre the Harold Pinter theatre after the late Nobel Prize-winning British playwright.
The theatre, on London’s Panton Street, is a fitting venue to take the playwright’s name, having hosted seven of his plays over the past two decades, including, in recent years, The Lover And The Collection and Betrayal.
Howard Panter, ATG’s Joint Chief Executive and Creative Director, said: “The work of Pinter has become an integral part of the history of the Comedy theatre. The re-naming of one of our most successful West End theatres is a fitting tribute to a man who made such a mark on British theatre, who, over his 50-year career, became recognised as one of the most influential modern British dramatists.”
One of the UK’s greatest playwrights, Pinter, who died on Christmas Eve 2008, was the author of 32 plays as well as many screenplays. He was also an actor and director, and directed four productions at the Comedy theatre.
The theatre will be renamed with the opening of the venue’s next production, Death And The Maiden, on 13 October. The play’s author Ariel Dorfman described Pinter as “my mentor for most of my writing life”.
Pinter’s widow, Lady Antonia Fraser, commented: “Harold would have been so pleased by this honour and I am very moved at the news.”
Death And The Maiden, starring Thandie Newton, opens to the press on 24 October and runs until 21 January.
CB