Harold Pinter’s No Man’s Land, is one of those plays so dense, I can’t hope to comprehend, let alone fully discuss, it after just one viewing. So instead, I will discuss impressions and musing brought on by seeing National Theatre Live’s production of No Man’s Land at Michigan Theater this weekend.
Any performance is enhanced by being under Michigan Theater’s gold gilded ceiling with the organ music playing as you take your seat; the setting creates a perfect mood for musing about the serious, but often simultaneously hilarious, questions about life, death, power, and vulnerability that Pinter’s play brings up. I went and saw the show with my parents, who had driven up for the day and wanted to spend some time in Ann Arbor. So as we sat in the audience, we were a remarkable reflection of the diversity of age in the cast.
Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen starred in the show as elder men, who eventually became contrasted with the two younger men who appear on the scene. Stewart and McKellen in a Q&A that was part of the taped broadcast, reminisced about seeing the original production as young men. Both have seen it multiple times and commented on the lasting impression it made. The other two actors in the cast either hadn’t even been born yet or were very very young at the time. The narrative explores themes of aging and in the cast they face large generation gaps; my parents and I watched, each coming to the show with different generational experiences. And we all got something out of it but I believe I could identify with the younger characters on a more personal level, while my parents identified with the stars. Independent of age, I think there is only so much I can identify with in a play about four men, contemplating manhood for two hours.
This was not for lack of familiarization or stunning performances by the actors. I greatly admire both Stewart and McKellen, both of whom were amazing in No Man’s Land, pivoting from hilarious to serious on the turn of a dime. They earned their reputations and then some in this language heavy, dialogue driven piece. If I were to sit and listen to it again, I’m sure there would be many moments or understandings I’ve missed, which ensures this play probably isn’t going to disappear from the stage anytime soon. The friendship that Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen present on stage (and in the below video) is wonderful to watch.
