The Dumb Waiter

30 July - 8 August 2026

Harold Pinter’s masterclass in comedic menace

The story follows Ben and Gus, two hitmen waiting in a claustrophobic, subterranean basement room for orders regarding their next target. As the agonizing wait stretches on, their mundane arguments about newspapers and tea are suddenly shattered by a mysterious, mechanical contraption on the wall: a dumb waiter, which begins delivering increasingly bizarre food orders from an unknown entity upstairs.

What follows is a brilliant exploration of power dynamics, working-class anxieties, and the terrifying humor of the unknown.

"Pinter has this extraordinary ability to take the absurdity of mundane life, like discussing putting on the kettle, and have it feel simultaneously like a high-stakes thriller" the production's director Chris Cook says. "It's hilarious, it's deeply unsettling, and this theatrical family has made it incredibly fresh and relevant to today. The intimacy of the Playhouse Theatre is the absolute perfect venue to trap the audience right there in that basement with these two men."

Featuring experienced local actors, Dylan Shield and Brent Caldwell this production promises to deliver the sharp, rhythmic dialogue and trademark "Pinter pauses" that defined a generation of modern theatre.

The bill also features a bonus second-half farce based on the trio’s experiences trying to put a section of the play into the Regional TheatreFest in 2025.  Caldwell says, “With two weeks to go before the TheatreNZ Theatre Fest last year, we were denied the rights to perform a cut of the play.  We were left with no other option but to improvise a farce based on this unexpected turn of events.” The result was a mad-cap hybrid that was well received. 

This production is another event in the Repertory Society’s fundraising programme.  All proceeds go towards the Playhouse Refurbishment project, and follows on from the recent success of February's Crack Up For A Cause and the Grand Old Playhouse Music Hall held in June.