Goodbye, Mr Pinter

Harold Pinter, Playwright. Born 10 October 1930; Died 24 December 2008

On Christmas Eve 2008, Harold Pinter, one of the greatest English playwrights in history, died aged 78.

The Nobel Prize-Winner had written consistently over a period of fifty years, receiving his award in 2005.

Apart from being a consumate artist, as a writer, actor and thinker, Pinter was also a fervent political activist, strongly opposing the aggressive foreign policy employed by the Bush-Blair administrations thoughout the curent decade.

On a more personal note, I was terribly saddened by the news, as he has always been one of my favourite writers and critics of the theatre, The Birthday Party, The Homecoming and The Caretaker being an exciting trio of plays challenging the notions of contemporary theatre, and inspiring many writers of our generation. His recent performance of the title character in the Royal Court's 2006 production of Krapp's Last Tape will probably be one of my greatest regrets, as I didn't have the chance to see one of my favourite writer/actors perfom the work of Beckett, another favourite.

His astonishly accurate speech on Art, Truth and Politics, transmitted upon receipt of his Nobel Prize, is posted, below, while you can read The Guardian's obituary here, and the BBC's report of his death here.

Mr Pinter, you will be greatly missed...