Old Times by Harold Pinter. That Theatre Company presents: Old Times. Introduction:

Transcription

1 Old Times by Harold Pinter That Theatre Company presents: Old Times Introduction: Harold Pinter is one of the most prominent modern British playwrights. In Old Times, he explores the role that memories true and false play in shaping our relationships. Kate and Deeley, a married couple, receive a visit from Anna, who was once Kate s room-mate in London, but has been out of touch for twenty years. In the course of an evening of conversation, Anna, Deeley and Kate each present subtly varied versions of the past, in an attempt to re-establish their relationships, forming a darkly erotic triangle. As the two women reminisce about old times, questions are raised about the nature of memory and the relationship between the three

2 characters. Deeley and Anna engage in a battle over who really possesses Kate, using language and recollections as their weapons of choice. Hope to see you in the theatre Ian Burns (Actor / Director) Birgitte Holm Halkjær (Lektor, Birkerød Gymnasium, HF, IB og Kostskole) Supported by Undervisningsministeriets Tips- og Lottomidler

3 Educational material Harold Pinter, Old Times That-Theatre Company, Autumn, 2012 Birgitte Holm Halkjær Lektor engelsk - dansk Birkerød Gymnasium, HF, IB og Kostskole Old Times Writer s Drama Workshop Step A: Time for talking about writing ACTIVITY 1: How to become a good writer?

4 Why do you need to write and rewrite to become a good writer? Do a brainstorming and write down your answer. Next, in pairs compare and discuss. Finally, in class write down your answer on the board. ACTIVITY 2: Writing in the class-room or at home or both? In pairs talk about what do you think about writing in the classroom or at home? Take notes while discussing. Next, take your point of departure in the following statements and argue for your point of view. - I expect to do a lot of writing in the classroom because - I expect to do a lot of writing by myself at home, because.. - I expect my teacher to mark all the mistakes in my written work, because - I would like my teacher to look at my writing and help me improve it in the writing process before I hand in my final writing, because - I would very much like to read other students writing sometimes, because

5 - I think it could be useful to work with other students on writing, because - I usually look at my grade but I never read the comments from my teacher, because ACTIVITY 3 : How to improve my writing skills? When writing it is always a good thing to decide what to focus on. It is impossible to improve in all areas of writing. Arrange the following list of writing skills, and write down in order that you would like to build up (improve) your writing. My order of improving my writing skills: - Getting the grammar right, will be my priority number?, because I.. - Having a range of vocabulary, will be my priority number?, because I.. - Spelling accurately will be my priority number?, because I - Developing and organizing the content clearly and convincing will be my priority number?, because I

6 - Meaningfully punctuation will be my priority number?, because I. ACTIVITY 4: A writer s note-book While reading Pinter s Old Times a good idea is to keep a writer s notebook. Write in your book about anything that comes to your mind while reading. While writing in your personal language note-book do not bother about being accurate. But before you start reading and writing, discuss in pairs the reason for keeping a writer s notebook about Old Times. ACTIVITY 5: A student s writing policy-document. Sign a student writing policy document with your teacher before joining the Writer s Drama Workshop on Pinter s Old Times. Make a written agreement with your teacher about which of the following point to include in your personal writing policydocument.

7 Possible point to include in my writing policy- document with my teacher: - Not all of my writing will be handed to my teacher for marking, sometimes I will write in class and my teacher will help me read my written work as I go along - While writing, my teacher may start a discussion with me, asking questions, explaining things, and suggesting ways in which to improve the content and organization of my work. - Sometimes I will be asked to work with other students, looking at each other s plans or first drafts. - It is a help for me when my teacher gives my some guide lines before I begin my own writing (for instance shows me a case example) - When my teacher marks a piece of work for me, I do not expect every mistake to be corrected. - Sometimes my teacher will underline mistakes and ask me to try and correct them myself. - Anything else you would like to include in your personal writing policy document with your teacher?

8 ACTIVITY 6: Guide lines for written work Discuss in pairs, which of the following guiding principles for written formative comments could be good to agree on in class. Write down and account for your answer. Guide lines for written formative comments: - It is important that my teacher always mention improvements, and tells me which aspects are good and why, because. - It is important that my teacher notes any particular problems and suggests ways of improving my written work, because. - It is important that my teacher summarizes my strengths and weaknesses and gives me a sense of development in my written work, because. - It is important that I also get the chance to talk to my teacher (oral feed-back from time to time), because.

9 ACTIVITY 7: Make your own dictionary (vocabulary notebook) while reading Old Times. Step 1: Before you start, you may ask yourself. Which words to write down in your notebook: - Words you know but with difficult spelling? - New words you find while reading the play? - Or? Step 2: Before you start you may also ask yourself how to write down (arrange) the words in your notebook: - I will arrange my words alphabetically? - I will arrange my words under topic headings? - I will arrange my words as I read them? - I will arrange my words as I learn them? - No special order? - I do not need a vocabulary note-book, because.?

10 ACTIVITY 8: Improving your awareness about writing. Work in pairs and try to write down writing instructions (evaluation charts) for the following different writing activities. Search google and in pairs try to work out writing instructions for: - How to write an essay - How to write a letter to the editor - How to write a speech - How to write an article - How to write a paragraph - Feel free to add other genres?! Next, compare and discuss in class and try to reach an agreement about what points to include in the different evaluation charts. Case example: How to write a summary A summary is a short, precise and coherent reproduction of a text. It should consist of about 150 words. Remember (guide lines)/ a student s evaluation chart 1) Mention author, title, year of production in the first sentence

11 2) Your reader is not familiar with the text. Therefore, you need to be explicit and always introduce characters, places and situations. 3) To present only the main points and events of the text. 4) To write in the present tense 5) To be objective (neutral). A summary should neither include analysis and interpretations nor personal views. 6) To write in your own language; you can use the text s keywords, but not copy whole sentences 7) To leave out quotations from the text ACTIVITY 9: Painting with words. In pairs, discuss and write about in prose ( 5 lines) how a painting or photo may help you to start your writing process. Step 2: Next, search google and try to find a painting or photo that may be titled Old Times. Step 3: Do an individual quick writing about the painting around 1½ min. Step 4: Look carefully at the painting, and now start writing a story about the painting.

12 Step 5: In pairs read each other s texts - or read them aloud to each other. Step 6: Finally, try to comment on the strengths and weaknesses in each other s stories Step 7: Rewrite your story ACTIVITY 10: Rewrite in a new genre. In pairs discuss how rewriting a text in a new genre may improve your awareness about writing. Step 2: Next, take your point of departure in Pinter s title Old Times. Try to imagine what happens in the play and write a short poem about Old Times. Step 3: Change the poem into a new genre (for instance an article, a short story).

13 Finally, discuss in pairs the effect of the change from one genre to another.

14 Step B: The Writing Process ACTIVITY 1: Write an article and/or a review about Old Times 1. You are a literary journalist. Write a review of Old Times telling your readers why they should/ should not read the play. Begin your review with the following line: Pinter s Old Times is a very interesting play to read. But when it comes to understand Useful vocabulary in the writing process: To begin with. secondly another reason is. the main things is. the most important aspect oddly/surprisingly/strangely enough as a rule on the whole the point is in my opinion from my point of view well, personally what I am more concerned with.. what I find particularly the play conveys in the opening scenes. I will/will not recommend this play to.

15 2. Write an article about the actors who play Kate and Anna in Old Times. Before you start writing your article you need to find a point of departure for your article (a matter of concern). Prepare therefore an interview with Kate and Anna. Write down questions that you would like to ask them. Your final product is to be printed in a literary magazine. ACTIVITY 2: Diary writing 1. Imagine you are Anna in Old Times. Write a page in her diary. Your focus of concern has been giving: My love for Kate. Before you start do a brainstorming. 2. Imagine you are Kate in Old Times. Write a page in her diary. Your focus of concern has been giving: My life with Deeley. Before you start do a brainstorming. 3. Imagine you are Deeley in Old Times. Write a page in his diary. Your focus of concern has been giving: My life without Kate. Before you start do a brainstorming

16 ACTIVITY 3: Essay writing. Write an essay about Old Times. In your essay you must include: - A characterization of the characters in the play and their relationship - The title of the play - Theme(s) Before you hand in your essay. Make sure you have read through your essay and used your evaluation chart.

17 ACTIVITY 4: Writing a summary Write a summary of the play Old Times. Use as many possible words from the following list of words: three characters - memory - love role playing - lesbian relationship - purpose of Anna s visit - the odd man out - secure marriage - journey into the past - spark an interest in Sicily - Deeley excluded - the significance of the bath - reverting to former way of life - the focus of her sexual desire - Anna placed in the darkness - Anna takes over Deeley s bed - turn the past into reality - having lost Kate - a battle for the affection of a woman - farmhouse in England - her best friend - neither confirms nor denies the stories - the intruder takes over each seems to be using his or her memories and reminiscences to put the other at a disadvantage Pinter presents a deadly serious affair Step 2: In pairs. Present your summary to each other Step 3: Evaluate each other s work (use your evaluation chart How to write a summary )

18 ACTIVITY 5: Turn the play Old Times into the story of a film. Do a brainstorming and ask students to come up with as many other titles to Pinter s play Old Times as possible. Write them on the blackboard Step 2: Make the students choose two titles from the board and ask them to write down the story/storyboard of the film behind each title Step 3: In pairs. Share your stories with a partner

19 ACTIVITY 6: Letter writing about Old Times In class. Talk about letters (content, form, lay-out etc.) Step 2: Write a letter opening on the board: Dear X This is something I have never told anyone. I am writing to you, because I am sure that you will understand Step 3: In class. Open a discussion about the content and form of the letter. For instance: What do you think the reply will be? Who is the receiver of the letter? Situation? Tone? Etc. Write down suggestions from the students on the board. Step 4: In pairs. Ask the students to choose the writer, receiver and situation they like best. Step 5: Individually. Ask each student to write the whole letter. To be read aloud in class.

20 ACTIVITY 7: Writing about themes In pairs talk and write about the major and minor themes of Old Times. Step 1: What themes do you think the play deal with? Write down your immediate response. Step 2: Next, argue for your choice. Case example /theme: As the characters themselves in Old Times are not sure of what has exactly happened in their past, the audience or readers to whom important information is being communicated, are left in a state of uncertainty. All the meanings of the play must be guessed only with the help of the clues which the dialogue provides. The dialogue requires the audience to read between the lines. In this context, it can be said that the play Old Times deals with the major theme: lack of communication.

21 ACTIVITY 8: Write a cohesive story Write down five main events of the play Old Times on a label (a poster) Step 2: Divide your class into groups of three or four. Give each group the five story labels to work with. Step 3: The task of each group is now to write down the labels in a sequence that is cohesive and tells a good story. The first group to do so is the winner. Step 4: Ask the winners to tell the story according to the order of events they have chosen, using their own words. Step 5: Finally, ask the class to judge whether they think the story is cohesive and coherent? Whether they think it is a good story that makes sense why?/why not?

22 ACTIVITY 9: SMS - writing Write a text-message (SMS) in English about the play Old Times which you send on your mobile phone to another person in class. He/she reads the message and replies and so on.. Step 2: In class: Discuss the rules you used or invented when you created your text-messages Step 3: Compare the language of the text-message to the language of everyday speech Step 4: Turn the language of one of the text-messages that you received into written language (formal language). Step 5: Compare and contrast with the language of the textmessage.

23 ACTIVITY 10: Creative writing What will happen to Deeley if Kate decides to live her life with Anna? Write a continuation of the play. While writing do not think of grammar or punctuation. Step 2: Hand in your story to your teacher. Tell her/him to evaluate your first draft. Decide on what kind of feed-back you would like? Consult your writing policy agreement. Step 3: Rewrite and edit your text on the basis of the feed-back from your teacher.

24 ACTIVITY 11: Write a letter to the editor Letter to the editor Dear Madam, Please help me what do you think I should do? An old girlfriend of mine has come to visit me, and now it turns out that I still love her very much. I do not dare to tell my husband that I have still got very strong feelings for her. On one hand, I would very much like to travel to Sicily with her, and drink orange juice on the terrace in the morning, and bull- shots at sunset, and look down at the sea but on the other hand, I do not want to hurt my husband. What should I do? Hope to get an answer soon. All best, Kate Write an answer to Kate telling her how to cope with the fact that she still loves Anna after so many years.

25 ACTIVITY 12: Write a paragraph about characters and / or the relationship between characters. 1. Find hints in the play that Deeley is jealous of Anna, his wife s friend. Case-example. Take your point of departure in the following lines and write on.. There are several hints in the play Old Times that Deeley may be jealous of his wife s friend, Anna. Even before she begins to take part in the action, he tells Kate that he will be watching her when Anna arrives. Moreover, he does not seem to understand why she has not brought along her husband Find hints in the play that there is a power-struggle (powergame) going on between Deeley and Anna. Case-example. Take your point of departure in the following lines and write on:

26 There are several hints in the play Old Times that there is a power-struggle going on between Deeley and Anna. The combat of territory between Deeley and Anna for the possession of Kate emerges gradually from their intense combat of words. This may be said to be a battle between time past represented by Anna and time present represented.. 3. Find hints in the play that the two women are one and the same person 4. Find hints in the play that a lesbian relationship may once have existed between Kate and Anna ACTIVITY 13: Write a personal comment 1. Comment on the shadowy backstage figure of Anna silhouetted against the window. What do you think the visual metaphor of Anna foreshadows about the action of the play Old Times? 2. Comment on the significance of bathing in Old Times. What do you think the bath, which Kate enters at the end of act one and which she completes symbolizes?

27 3. Comment on the significance of the concept of memory in Old Times. Is memory a weapon used by the characters in Old Times to gain control? Or what do you think? 4. Comment on the ending of the play. How do you interpret the last scene? Anna walks towards the door, Deeley starts to sob. Anna switches off the light and lies down on the divan. Deeley stands up and stops between them; he goes towards the door; then turns, goes towards Kate s divan and lies across her lap. After a while he gets up, slumps in the armchair. The lights come up brightly on Deeley in his chair, Anna and Kate on the two divans. ACTIVITY 14: Close reading and writing of monologue. Step 1: Do a close reading of Anna s first appearance on stage. Use your notes from your language note book and write down what you think is characteristic of her monologue. Do not comment on the content only the form (the way it has been written).

28 Anna s first monologue starts with the line: Queuing all night, the rain, do you remember?.. and ending with the line can you tell me? Step 2: Do a close reading of Anna talking about old times. Again do not comment on the content only the form. Don t tell me you ve forgotten our days at the Tate? and how we explored London and all the old churches and all the old buildings, I mean those that were left from the bombing, in the City and south of the river in Lambeth and Greenwich? Oh, my goodness. Oh yes. And the Sunday papers! I could never get her away from the review pages. She ravished them, and then insisted we visit that gallery, or this theatre, or that chamber concert, but of course there was so much, so much to see and to hear, in lovely London then, that sometimes we missed things, or had no money, and so missed some things. For example, I remember one Sunday she said to me, looking up from the paper, come quick, quick, come with me quickly, and we seized our handbags and went, on a bus, to some totally obscure, some totally unfamiliar district and almost alone, saw a wonderful film called Odd Man Out

29 ACTIVITY 15: Discuss the following statements 1. Discuss the following statement: It may be said that for Kate, Anna represents a U-turn to the past with emotional strings attached. Next, compare and contrast with your neighbor 2. Discuss the following statement: When Kate takes the bath, at the end of act one, one senses that again she is stripping herself of one life style and enveloping herself in another. This time, however, she is reverting to her former way of life with Anna. Next, compare and contrast with your neighbor

30 ACTIVITY 16: Write a short essay In a short essay explain how Anna may be said to be the intruder in the play? Some critics even call her the menace from outside. How does she threatens the prevailing peaceful life of the married couple Anna and Deeley. Remember to state references to the text. Or in a short essay explain how Anna manages to spark in Kate an interest in Sicily, the far-away island on which she lives and also a spot that represents the distant past shared by both women. Remember to state references to the text. ACTIVITY 17: Open association write non-stop. Write non- stop for about five minutes. Your focus of concern is Kate and her relationship to Deeley in Old Times. It is very important that you write without deleting or correcting your writing.

31 Next, compare and discuss your open association with your neighbor or in class. Finally, on the basis of your discussion rewrite your first text. ACTIVITY 18: Write a speech Write a 2 min. speech on Deeley s life. Focus on for instance: - His memory of a life together with Anna - His future life without Kate Or write a speech on Kate s life. Focus on for instance: - Her present life with Deeley - Her future life with Anna Step 1: Before you start writing your speech think about your audience, and ask yourself the following questions: - Who will I be speaking to? - What do they know about my topic already? - What will they want to know about my topic? - What do I want them to know by the end of my talk?

32 Step 2: Then - Brainstorm your topic - Organize your material and write a first draft of your speech Step 3: In pairs read aloud your speech to each other. Step 4: Next, give feed-back and evaluate each other. Write down two good things to each other - and write down two things that may be improved. Step 5: Rewrite your speech Step 6: Deliver your presentation in class. Remember: - Talk to your audience, do not read to them! - Watch your language - Use pauses and speak slowly and clearly - Use your body to communicate - Interact with your audience Step 7: In class, evaluate the speech. - What is the speaker s purpose?

33 - How does he/she draw his audience into his speech? - Comment on the techniques and the language employed by the speaker? - How does the speaker build up his/her speech? - Comment on the use of modes of appeal (ethos, logos, pathos) - Comment on the use of figurative language ACTIVITY 19: Describing characters in details. Write a short paragraph in which you use as many adjectives to describe Kate as possible. Take into consideration the following quotations from the text: - You talk of me as if I were dead, (said by Kate to Anna and Deeley) - But when I knew her first she was so shy, as shy as a fawn, she really was. When people learned to speak to her she would fold away from them, so that though she was still standing within their reach she was no longer accessible to them. She folded herself from them, they were no longer able to speak or go through with their touch. I put it down to her upbringing, a parson s daughter,

34 and indeed there was a good deal of Brönte about her, (Anna about Kate) - She floats from the bath. Like a dream. Unaware of anyone standing, with her towel, waiting for her, waiting to wrap it round her. Quite absorbed, (Anna about Kate) Step 2: Write a short paragraph in which you use as many adjectives as possible to describe Anna or Deeley. Remember to state references to the text. Step 3: Next, compare your characterization with what your neighbor has written. Finally, edit your text and add some of the adjectives that your neighbor has used to your own text.

35 ACTIVITY 20: Dialogue writing. You now have the choice of two different tasks. Write two pages of dialogue as you imagine it between Kate and Anna talking about Deeley. Or write two pages of dialogue as you imagine Deeley talking about Kate and Anna to a friend. When writing your dialogue take into consideration two things: how they speak to each other i.e the level of formality (high style/low style, choice of words, tone) and how their dialogue develops (tone). Finally, read aloud your dialogue in class. Step C: Post-writing - editing ACTIVITY 1: Possible interpretations of Old Times

36 Which of the following four levels of possible interpretation for Old Times do you find most valid. Comment on an account for your choice. Do not delete or edit as you write. Write for five minutes, at least half a page to each of the possible interpretations: - a. Pinter s play Old Times has to be interpreted on a realistic level all three characters were at one time real living people - b. Pinter s play Old Times has to be interpreted as a ritual game between three characters - c. Pinter s play Old Times has to be interpreted as representing the male character s (Deeley s) dream - d. Another interpretation is that Kate and Anna are different personalities of the same person, Kate being the prominent one. - e. Other possible interpretations of the play? Next, in pairs compare and contrast possible interpretations. Finally, on the basis of your discussion edit your text and write a new text.

37 ACTIVITY 2: Pinter s characters A question of trust? Deeley in Old Times, finds himself excluded from Anna s account of the early life she shared with his wife Kate. But are Anna s memories reliable, or is she making them up simply to infuriate her friend s husband? Step 1: Write a paragraph titled A Question of Trust. Step 2: Your writing must take your point of departure in the following statement said by Anna: There are some things one remembers even though they may never have happened. There are things I remember which may never have happened but as I recall them so they take place. Step 3: In pairs. Edit your first writing. Step 4: Rewrite your paragraph

38 ACTIVITY 3: Close reading and rewriting of dialogue Step 1: Read the opening dialogue between Kate and Deeley Kate: Dark Deeley: Fat or thin? Kate: Fuller than me, I think Deeley: She was then? Kate: I think so Deeley: She may not be now. Was she your best friend? Kate: Oh, what does that mean? Deeley: What? Kate: The word friend when you look back all that time Deeley: Can t you remember what you felt? Kate: It is a very long time Deeley: But you remember her. She remembers you. Or why should she come here tonight? Kate: I suppose because she remembers me Deeley: Did you think of her as your best friend? Kate: She was my only friend

39 Deeley: Your best and only Kate: My one and only. If you have only one of something you can t say it s the best of anything Deeley: Because you have nothing to compare it with? Kate: Mmnn.. Step 2: Rewrite the dialogue changing Kate s attitude (feelings) towards her friend. Step 3: In pairs. Discuss the function of the changes of attitude. Step 4: Rewrite the dialogue again. This time focus on a change of tone. Step 5: In pairs. Discuss the function of the changes of tone. Step 6: Use your imagination and write your own dialogue between Kate and Deeley. Next, act-it-out in class.

40 ACTIVITY 4: Write down arguments for or against a viewpoint. 1. In a short paragraph argue for the fact that Anna s one and only purpose in coming to visit the married couple is simply to win Kate as her love. Moreover, take into consideration whether or not she succeeds in winning. Choose your own headline. Remember to state references to the text. 2. To begin with Deeley and Kate seem to be the happily united couple. In a short paragraph argue against the fact that the situation is not the same at the end of the play. Headline for your argumentative paragraph: Who is the odd man out now? Remember to state references to the text.

41 ACTIVITY 5: Writing about Old Times. Write about the play Old Times as if you are writing it to a close friend in a letter or in a mail, in a text or on Facebook. Include as many details as possible about Old Times ; everything you felt after having read the play. Step 2: When you have finished your writing about Old Times, read your text and consider what is most important and what could be left out so that your text is still recognizable. Step 3: Save your first text and start rewriting a new, shorter version. You may decide to cut an entire paragraph, one detail or individual words. You may have to rewrite parts of the text to keep it coherent. Your new text must be half the length of the original text. Spend five minutes to edit. Step 4: Compare the two texts and try to describe the writing process from the initial writing to the final editing.

42 ACTIVITY 6: Write before you speak. Write 2-5 minutes about what you think are the main points in the play Old Times. Do not delete or edit as you write your first draft. Step 2: In pairs compare and contrast by reading each other s texts or by reading them aloud to each. Finally. In pairs write a new text and decide on which main points to include and what to leave out. ACTIVITY 7: Write about Harold Pinter s Life and Works Search google and write a short biography of Harold Pinter s life and works around 25 lines. Step 2: If your text is written in the past tense, rewrite the text using the present tense. Remember to the save the original text. Step 3: In the edited text change your point of view from the third person he to the first person I.

43 Step 4: Read each other s texts and discuss in pairs what happens to the texts when you change from one point of view to another. Do the changes affect your writing experience? Why/why not? ACTIVITY 8: Read, edit and rewrite. Read the following statements said about Harold Pinter s play Old Times 1. Statement: Old Times contains many of Pinter s trademarks as a playwright: uncertainty, an unspoken struggle for verbal control, sexual tension, questions with no answers, and an exploration of the nature of memory. These characteristics make Pinter s work wonderfully frustrating and absorbing, but at the same time create difficulties for the director, who must clearly convey the central ideas despite an often indiscernible reality.

44 2. Statement: Deeley is aware that Anna s ultimate success or failure at permanently winning Kate will depend on whether or not she can prove that the lesbian relationship (whether physical or just emotional) she hints at was indeed a reality. If she can, then she might also be able to remind Kate of actual feelings she had for her that will compel Kate to leave Deeley and come to live with her. Deeley also realizes that memories are the one tool that Anna has for verifying such a relationship. Therefore, in his endeavor to defeat her purpose, he tries to undermine the truthfulness of those memories and thereby destroy her major weapon in the battle for Kate 3. Statement If the story is a nightmare of Deeley s it would stand for what he is most afraid of. And if it is a game, it is a re-enactment of what might, or might not, be the basis of the relationship, an evershifting relationship, between these two women and this man. But of course, the three levels must mingle: the dream is fraught with reality; reality and the memories of which it is composed has a dreamlike quality; and games are dreams made up from fragments of reality

45 Step 2: Individually: Rewrite the statements in your own words Step 3: Trade texts with your neighbor or in groups of four. Compare and discuss the differences between your texts. Step 4: Edit your own text on the basis of the feed-back you get. ACTIVITY 9: Read and rewrite lyrics from popular songs In Old Times both Anna and Deeley try to win the love of Kate. To achieve their goals both characters take perfectly innocent lyrics from popular songs of the past and infuse them with erotic overtones. Rewrite the lines from the popular songs into your own language. Case example: Anna, singing: The way you comb your hair My rewriting: Anna admits to Kate that she is

46 sexually attracted to her Your turn now: a. Deeley, singing: Oh no they can t take that away from he My rewriting: b. Anna, singing: Oh but you re lovely, with your smile so warm.. My rewriting: c. Deeley, singing: I ve got a woman crazy for me. She s funny that way. My rewriting: d. Anna, singing: You are the promised kiss of springtime. My rewriting: e. Deeley, singing: And someday I ll know that moment divine. When all the things you are, are mine My rewriting:

47 ACTIVITY 10: Rewriting stories from Old Times While reading Old Times we, as readers, soon detect, through obvious parallels that Anna, Deeley and Kate are reminiscing about the same incidents. We also recognize, however, that there are notable discrepancies and contradictions between the various accounts. Each character describes these incidents from his or her own viewpoint, distorting the past to satisfy his or her own needs. Step 1: Rewrite in your own words the story Deeley tells us disclosing the way in which he first met Kate: One Sunday he went to a cinema to see the Robert Newton film Odd Man Out Step 2: Rewrite in your own words the story Anna tells us about the way she and Kate slipped off to some obscure movie theatre where they almost alone saw a wonderful film.

48 Step 3: In pairs. Evaluate the stories. Point out similarities and dissimilarities between the two stories. Step 4: In class. Discuss: Are Deeley and Anna describing the same incident? Were all three characters together in the same theatre - and at the same time? Was Anna the only customer in the theatre (as Deeley claims)? Or is Anna right when she claims she was there as well?! Step 5: On the basis of your discussion. Edit your stories and get feed-back from your teacher (consult your writing policydocument). Step 6: Finally, comment on the statement said by Anna in Old Times : There are some things one remembers even though they may never have happened. There are things I remember which may never have happened, but as I recall them so they took place. Links to articles about Pinter and Old Times. Director talking about the play: Alan Rickman in Old Times:

49 Harold Pinter s website: A Memory Play/Article about Od Times: Pinter s Film Screenplays: A review of one production of the play: As The Curtain Rises: Contemporary Drama 1966 to By Douglas Colby. Published by Fairleigh.