Poor Harold Pinter was a great playwright, excellent cricketer, watchable actor, discerning ladies' man, quondam pretender to the Albanian throne and political adolescent.
Now that he's dead all sorts of ingrates will mock his penchant for Milosevic and rudeness to Americans.
"Art has always been free of life. Its flag has never reflected the colour of the flag that flies over the city fortress," said Shklovsky.
I would add that artists are not housepainters. They may be able to dash off a challenging abstract, but will probably bugger up your wainscoting.
I like to think I'll be remembered for my sexual prowess and ability to dislocate my shoulders, not for my Dadaist car maintenance or Esperanto poetry.
z"l, says the Cymru Rouge. Chwarae teg.
16 comments:
Its a sad day. But did he die today or yesterday? I smell a conspiracy.
Christmas Eve, according to the fragrant Lady Antonia.
You may jest, Birdy, but there will be a Guardian Comment Is Free thread about this soon that'll take the hair off your arms.
What about unsightly nasal hair, Boyo? It would be nice to think that Comment is Free is good for something.
Pinter was a great writer, and I find it ironic that among the more well-known news outlets, it is the very American CNN that discusses in positive tones the substance of Pinter's art. With the others it is mostly puff.
My will (document) specifies that I'd rather be remembered for my love of doubledecker-bus services than my dali-esque furniture arranging skills. That said, I am available to re-arrange your furniture at bargain rates.
There's only one way of dealing with nasal hair, Francis, and that's Turkish barbers.
CNN alone treats Pinter with dignity - for Harold the humilitation would be total.
Wendy, I trust "re-arrang[ing] your furniture" is not a euphemism. Same goes for "doubledecker-bus services", for that matter.
Pinter was an excellent cricketer? Can that really be true? Or should I borrow the remark that Bishen Bedi once made to Tony Lewis, viz "You're imagining things, Velshman".
He was, GB, and I speak as no admirer of a game that I consider to be a sort of Asperger's rounders.
There's clip of him sending his apologies to the Gaiety Cricket Club, including a great poem story:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ozYo_JekLUI
The measure of the man lies in the quality of the parodies.
I well recall in the 70s John Gould and Nigel Pegram performing "The Harold Pinter Tango," which including lines like:
There's a wasp in the marmalade.
In the marmalade?
The marmalade.
There's a wasp in the marmalade?
No there isn't, it's jam.
It looks like rain.
It looks like jam.
Have you been out?
I've just come back.
Back where I belong.
(I omitted the pauses.)
And hot on his heels, Eartha Kitt. What an appropriate pairing.
Many thanks Boyo for all your highly entertaining posts last year, although many of them went over my silly little head. All the best to you, Mrs Boyo and Arianrhod for the coming year.
Ooh, sorry, but I just couldn't abide Pinter - or his plays, at any rate. One of those people that I just wanted to shake and shake until he rattled, I'm afraid.
Yep, me too, thanks for a year of mirth and entertainmemnt, Boyo. But I trust that in 2009 you'll stop this blogging nonsense and write that 6-episode Carpathians-based sitcom that's rather like a cross between Ripping Yarns, League of Gentlemen and The Clangers. I feel the world is now ready for it!
Only 6 episodes? How will he fit in The Laughing Ducks of Builth Wells?
Help! I'm going to be remembered for my Tracy Emin bedroom arrangements...
Not to worry...
Happy New Year, Mr Boyo!
Sx
CNN did lead the tributes to our Harold and last night all the lights in Broadway were dimmed for one minute.
The BBC dragged one of its arts correspondents onto the radio on Christmas Day afternoon but he had apparently already been digging into the sherry trifle and..ah..struggled..ah..to..
remember..any..
of..ah..Pinter's..plays.
happy new year:)
I wish You a Very Happy, Healthy and Successful New 2009 Year
:)
Ahmed
Boyo, I'll remember you for your sexual prowess. Definitely.
Happy New Year, friends! I'm working on the next chapter of Anti-Danube as we speak. It features the usual acts of justified violence, anti-so-called-Hungarian rhetoric and insights into the madness of blind violinists.
Inky, was that really you? I may have to rethink a few matters.
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