GIVEN the plaudits with which Harold Pinter’s work has been met over the past half a century, it may come as a surprise to learn his first full-length play was initially very badly received.

Since then, of course, The Birthday Party has become one of his best-known and most-loved works, so must be an apple of Eden for directors.

But while his carefully constructed dialogue may appear to trip off the tongues of the most accomplished actors, it has a habit of sticking like lint to others’. The Enthusiastic Theatre Company’s production, directed by Ed Barrett, was a mixed bag, never quite achieving momentum despite some nice touches.

Reg Edwards didn’t appear comfortable in Stanley’s shoes, playing the concert pianist with a shady past as too deadpan and over-enunciating his words, perhaps in an effort to disguise his natural accent.

He was slightly disturbing at times but never truly sinister, and many of the discrepancies in the character’s personality remained locked out of sight.

Jeanette Jarrel made a good job of tackling Meg, the naive owner of the boarding house where Stanley is staying when two men come to visit on the day of his birthday.

She balances childlike innocence with almost knowing flirtatiousness as Meg appears to be unconscious of the threatening events which are playing out all around her.

However, the limelight was stolen by Francis Field, in what is pretty much a supporting role. He was a very natural McCann, with well-felt dialogue and good timing.

There was plenty of attention to detail in the set – a shabby 1950s living room complete with bakelite light switches and crocheted doilies that helped create an atmosphere of decay and unease.

But the menacing undercurrent of tension that Pinter was so skilful at writing, remains just out of reach.