THE SITCOM PILOTS
OF HAROLD PINTER
written
by Harold Pinter
dramaturged & directed by Brendan Hunt
3 Episodes
4/18/09 - 5/2/09
It's a little-known fact that many successful American sitcoms
are based on British sitcoms... written by Harold Pinter.
CAST
Photos by C.M. Gonzalez
The Host (Bruno Oliver) introduces you to the more
obscure works of genius playwright Harold Pinter
VOL. 1: "Two and a Half Men" (4/18/09)
Jake is having a Birthday Party!
Bruno Oliver
Host
Pat Towne
Berta
Julia Griswold
Jake
Brendan Hunt
Alan
Bryan Krasner
Charlie
Berta (Pat Towne), caretaker of the boarding house were young
Jake (Julia Griswold) lives.
She's convinced it's his birthday, and treats him like a child,
although he's really 30.
Two men, Charlie (Bryan Krasner) and Alan (Brendan Hunt)
arrive, ostensibly on a seaside holiday.
As Alan builds a slow rage, Charlie slowly,
menacingly, tears a newspaper into strips.
A moment of anger between Alan and Charlie.
Alan and Charlie subject Jake to a terrifying, bizarre
interrogation.
They also insist it's his birthday, though he says it's not. Click on the picture to hear the interrogation!
"I'M DRESSED FOR THE BIRTHDAY PARTY!"
VOL. 2: "I Dream of Jeannie" (4/25/09)
Major Nelson has
been Betrayed.
Bruno Oliver
Host
Julia Griswold
Jeannie Nelson
Bryan Krasner
Major Roger Healey
Brendan Hunt
Major Tony Nelson
Pat Towne
Dr. Bellows
Major Nelson (Brendan Hunt) and Jeannie (Julia Griswold)
ponder
their complex and strained relationship.
Harold Pinter's "I Dream of Jeannie"
Major Roger Healey (Bryan Krasner) meet with Jeannie for
drinks, and she says she has a thing going with Dr. Bellows
these days.
Years earlier: An angry Major Nelson tells Jeannie that the
invasion
of a third world country is no place for women or genies.
A year earlier: Jeannie visits Major Nelson in
his capsule on the way to the moon.
Even earlier: "Shall we love?" Major Healey
and Jeannie are happy in their affair.
Dr. Bellows (Pat Towne) threatens to expose
Tony Nelson's shameful secret someday.
VOL. 3: "WKRP In Cincinnati" (5/2/09)
Baby.
(Pause.) If you've ever wondered. (Pause.)
Bruno Oliver
Host / Arthur
Carlson
Ed Goodman
Dr. Johnny Fever
Stacey Jackson
Jennifer Marlowe
Brendan Hunt
Andy Travis
Bryan Krasner
Les Nesman
Pat Towne
Herb Tarlick
Julia Griswold
Bailey Quarters
Ruth Silveira
Mrs. Carlson
An excerpt from Harold Pinter's "WKRP In Cincinnati"
Dr. Johnny Fever (Ed Goodman)
Mr. Carlson (Bruno Oliver) reminds Andy Travis (Brendan Hunt)
who's Top Dog around here.
"Am I feminine enough for you, Mr. Carlson?"
Stacey Jackson as "Jennifer Marlowe"
Les Nesman (Bryan Krasner) is covering the rally for Armenian
Genocide.
"Oh my god, they're Turkish people! Oh, the humanity! People
aren't even running away! All the Armenian people are just
standing and laughing, saying 'That's what you get'!"
Self-proclaimed Sales King of Cincinnati
Herb Tarlek (Pat Towne) boasts of his successes.
When Herb completes his boastful tirade, Jennifer regards him
coolly
and says, "Sorry, missed all that. All I heard was the sound of
cunts."
Miss Quarters (Julia Griswold) is pregnant by Johnny.
He calls her a whore and turns away, refusing to talk to her.
Mr. Carlson calls a staff meeting to remind everybody who's Top
Dog.
"Well done, Mr. Carlson. You deserve to sit at my feet
like a puppy." Herb's left out in the cold again.
A bizarre interlude. "I remember you dead... your corpse
was immaculate... you were dead in my room."
Suddenly, the Emergency Broadcast System tone tears through the
office at
unbearably high decibel levels, bursting everybody's eardrums
and killing them instantly.
Andy tells Mrs. Carlson (Ruth Silveira) that everyone murdered
each other...
apparently by raping each other in the ear. He'll be Top
Dog now.
However, Mrs. Carlson poisons him.
"There can only be one Top Dog in the Queen's city. Only
one." Click on the picture to hear Andy's death throes!
