THE CARETAKER, which premiered in 1961 with Donald Pleasance in the lead, was Harold Pinter’s first commercial success and instantly established him as a major playwright.
Since then Davies, the dirty old tramp has been played by such actors as Leonard Rossiter, Warren Mitchell, Patrick Stewart, Michael Gambon and Jonathan Pryce. Gambon was the filthiest tramp you ever did see.
Matthew Warchus’s revival relies on Timothy Spall to carry the audience through the first act, which he does giving the tramp airs and graces and exaggerated manner of speaking.
Davies is befriended by one brother (Daniel Mays) and humiliated by the other (Geoge MacKay). Stupidly, he switches his allegiance to the bully and finds he is rejected by both men.
MacKay’s bullyboy uses sarcasm and irony to bamboozle and provoke Davies, plying him with useless bits of information about street names and bus numbers. MacKay takes his long speeches at a terrific lick. The speed is impressive; but the truth is that these highly characteristic Pinteresque linguistic games would be even funnier if he took them a bit slower.
Daniel Mays’s key moment comes when Mick’s kind and generous brother sits on the edge of his bed and describes in great detail his hospitalization and lobotomy.