Ojemba Productions presents

By Harold Pinter.

A number of people have asked me to comment on when and where the piece is set and what messages – theatrical and political- I have hope to convey through the piece.

 

One for the Road, well, my direction of it, is not intended to convey any political statement or to refer to any events current or past other than those that you yourself, the spectator, decide to attribute to it.

 

One for the Road has the potential to be set in any of the extremist political or religious regimes (and some of the not so extreme) that exist across the world in a given time frame.

 

It is set in a time when intercom systems were available, which includes the present, and can be considered to be at any time within that time frame – again it is for you the audience member to decide.

 

Personally I was attracted to this piece by its powerful imagery and language.  Language that is subversive and beguiling.  Images and words which normally would lead us to a positive image or resolution, which, in these circumstances take us to the very other extreme; these images and words are then opposed by such dark images and language that when confronted with them in a friendly almost loving delivery lull us in to a false sense of security until in our minds the image has reached it’s full intensity revealing it’s true and vivid horror.

 

The unanswered questions, the lack of definite resolution and the desire to know what happens next are all elements of the piece which excite me immensely and those, again, are things which I refuse to prescribe to you as an audience member.  You must personalise this journey, this piece in to your own chosen framework.  Only then will it reach its true vivid, colourful and relevant resolution.

 

Note that I have referred to One for the Road as a piece and not a play.  Mr Pinter has said of the piece that it is a collection of scenes which he hopes when presented together form a story – you create your own play – the piece is merely the starting point.

 

 

By John Jackson Almond.

Director’s Notes