London: N.p., 1992-3

6 items: 3 TLS, 2 ALS and a handwritten postcard, 4 in their original mailing envelopes. A very well preserved collection.

A SMALL COLLECTION OF CORRESPONDENCE FROM HAROLD PINTER TO THE PLAYWRIGHT, TRANSLATOR AND DRAMATURGE JANINE BROGT, RELATING TO THE PRODUCTION OF PINTER'S PLAYS PARTY TIME, MOUNTAIN LANGUAGE AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER BY THE TONEELGROEP AMSTERDAM IN THEIR SEASON OF 1992-3.

Born in 1947, Janine Brogt trained as an actress and was a founder menber of the Toneelgroep Amsterdam in 1987, the leading repertory company of the Netherlands, specialising in radical reworkings of classics and Dutch premieres of new British and American work. Brogt moved from performance into translation and formed a strong working relationship with Pinter, who much admired the company's stripped-down, text-focussed approach to production.

The production of Party Time and Mountain Language under discussion in this correspondence was their first collaboration, with Brogt acting as editor and translator. The pair subsequently worked together on the Dutch productions of Pinter's Moonlight (1994) and Ashes to Ashes (1996).

The collection comprises:

-- TLS, dated 21 April 1992, expressing delight at the forthcoming production and Pinter's intention to be in attendance on 12 September, as well as scepticism at the idea of making The New World Order '"visually present somehow on a television screen during PARTY TIME"'. Notes to back of mailing envelope, almost certainly in Brogt's hand, outlining the possible conflation of the plays into a single act for the production;

-- TLS, dated 19 May 1992, in which production ideas continue to be discussed: 'I've been trying to visualise the image of PARTY TIME sliding into THE NEW WORLD ORDER. I think the idea of Jimmy becoming the blindfolded man on the monitor is a good one.' Mailing envelope present;

-- ALS, dated 1 June 1992, a 1p. note in which Pinter confirm that the Dutch translation should see one character should use the Dutch polite 'you' when addressing another. Mailing envelope present, addressed by hand;

-- 2pp. ALS, dated 14 September 1992, in which Pinter congratulates those involved with the production after his attendance two days earlier: 'Thank you both [Brogt and director Titus Muizelaar] for a great evening. I liked the whole damn thing very much indeed.' Mailing envelope not present.;

-- 2pp. ALS, dated 17 February 1993, informing Brogt that a copy of Pinter's Moonlight is on its way to her, and inviting her to a performance of No Man's Land, in which Pinter was appearing at the Comedy Theatre in London. Mailing envelope not present';

-- Handwritten postcard, dated 9 March 1993, expressing delight that Brogt and Titus will stage Moonlight. (Brogt's Dutch translation of the play, directed by Muizelaar, opened in Amsterdam in April 1994, having received its premiere At the Almeida Theatre, London, in September 1993.) Mailing envelope present.