Previously, there has been many attempts to adapt Proust’s great novel of 7 volumes ‘A la Recherche du Temps Perdu’, though unsuccessfully. Also many screen versions have been prepared but never green lit. In 1972 Joseph Losey ordered a film manuscript from Harold Pinter but the film was never realised either. Nevertheless, Harold Pinter has now in collaboration with the director Di Trevis rewritten the script for the stage and The Royal National Theatre has had an overwhelming success, both with the critics as well as the general audience.
The text is faithful to the work of Proust, as the characters are naturally theatrical and the timeless universe of remembrance is skilfully created in dream-like sequences.
They do not appear chronologically but alternate between the years from 1895 (the time in Combray) and 1921 (in Paris the year prior to Proust’s death) with many scenes indoors and out. The social circles portrayed, are the ruling nobility, the world of finance and art. And so in exclusive salons the hosts and hostesses, among which many homosexuals, strive to seduce the trendy young artists and demimondaines. All this takes place in present time as well as in the memory of Proust’s alter ego, Marcel.
Successfully, all 7 large volumes with many spectacular and psychologically uncommon characters have been compressed to a playing time of less than three hours.
