Duke of York's Theatre, London WC2
Harold pinter's mysterious Hampstead play is no less fascinating now than when he wrote it in 1974. But for this starry revival it seems to have confounded this country's fastest rising director, Rupert Goold.
The setting is the plush home of the wealthy Hirst (Michael Gambon) whose guest is poor poet Spooner (David Bradley). In the first act they are strangers who met at Jack Straw's Castle just a few hours previously. In the second act the duo spar over shared memories of romantic conquests while students at Oxford.
If their history is unclear, their relationship is certain. Spooner is a down-at-heel opportunist who attempts to inveigle his way into Hirst's luxury, curtained domain. Though to do so he will have to supplant one of Hirst's intimidating minders - David Walliams's smooth Foster, or Nick Dunning's bruiser, Briggs.