One day out of the blue Max's other son Teddy(Keith Allen), a successful lecturer who has been living in America for the past 6 years arrives home for a visit with his wife Ruth (Lindsay Duncan). What develops is a focus of attention to Ruth by all members of the family in a most bizarre way.

'Bizarre' is the operative word here, because it is a strange play indeed with a unexpected ending. It is superbly written by Pinter and brilliantly acted. In fact I'm constantly amazed at how many great actors we have in this country.

Each character is mysterious, not letting on why they do what they do and what they are really thinking. Pinter is clever at this, letting you work it out for yourself, although this I failed to do! At the end of the play I was still trying to work out exactly what it was about. Particularly why Ruth was like she was?

It is Lindsay Duncan who stole the show for me. She plays the mysterious, dominating Ruth almost to perfection . She mesmerises you with her movement and facial expressions.

The set design of the interior of the house is wonderful. You can see all rooms of the house , upstairs and down, behind a net curtain which sets just the right atmosphere.

A great production yet again by the The Royal National Theatre.

(Darren Dalglish)