Summary: The Caretaker

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00:00Summary World Famous Plays 5 The Caretaker by Harold Pinter.

00:06Copyright at 2015 Rajasharma.

00:10The Caretaker is set in a room of a house in West London during the 1950s.

00:16Winter is on.

00:18As the play opens we find Mick sitting on a bed in that room.

00:22He hears a door being opened somewhere off stage.

00:26He leaves the room hearing the sound of the opening door.

00:30Aston, Mick's brother and Davies, an old tramp enter the room.

00:36It transpires that Aston was working at a cafe.

00:40He helped Davies in fight at the cafe.

00:43Aston is very kind to Davies and he offers him clothes, shoes, and a place to spend the night.

00:51Davies speaks very loudly.

00:54He is an opinionated character.

00:57He complains about the blacks and the people of other races.

01:01On the other hand, Aston is very reserved and shy.

01:05He speaks hauntingly.

01:07Davies accepts clothes and shoes and he agrees to stay there.

01:12However, he wants to go down to Side Hub to get his papers which will confirm his identity.

01:19Davies spends the night in Aston's house.

01:23In the morning Aston tells Davies that he was being loud in his sleep the previous night.

01:29Davies does not like that and he strenuously rejects it.

01:34When Aston is ready to go out, he tells Davies that he can stay there.

01:39Davies, the tramp, tells Aston that he will try to find a job.

01:45After Aston's departure, Mick enters.

01:49There is a silent tussle between Mick and Davies.

01:52He asks Davies what his game is.

01:55It is obvious that Mick is suspicious of Davies.

01:59Mick asks several strange questions.

02:02He talks about random topics.

02:05The older man, Davies, does not seem to be pleased.

02:10Mick tells Davies that he can rent the room if he wants.

02:14After a while, Aston comes back with a bag of the things belonging to Davies.

02:20It transpires that the bag does not belong to Davies.

02:24Mick leaves.

02:26Aston is annoyed.

02:28Aston wants to help Davies so he asks him whether he would like to be the caretaker of the place.

02:34Aston has to decorate the landing and turn it into a real flat for his brother.

02:40Davies thinks for a while, but eventually agrees to accept the job of the caretaker.

02:47In the following scene, after some time, Davies happens to be in the room.

02:53Mick tries to frighten Davies with the vacuum cleaner in that dark room.

02:58Aston asks Davies if he wants to be caretaker.

03:02Davies wants to know who the in charge of that place is.

03:06Mick deceives him.

03:08Aston wants some references.

03:11Davies promises that he will go to Sidecup and get them.

03:15The following morning Davies does not go out for a long while.

03:20He blames that the weather is bad.

03:23Aston tells him about his hallucinations and how he was given electric shocks in a mental facility.

03:30He says that he was treated against his will.

03:34As a result his thoughts are slower now.

03:37He wishes he could find that man who had put the pincers to his head in that mental facility.

03:43Aston wants to build a shed in the garden.

03:46Two weeks pass, but Davies is full of complaints about Aston.

03:51He talks with Mick about that.

03:54One night, while sleeping, Davies happens to be making noise.

04:00Aston wakes him up.

04:02Davies is furious.

04:04He mocks Aston for his shock treatment.

04:07Aston tells him that he is not working out and he must leave.

04:12Davies reprimands Aston and tells him that he will talk to Mick about it.

04:17During his conversation with Mick, Davies tells Mick that Aston should leave the flat.

04:24Mick tries to pretend that he agrees with Davies.

04:28He begins to talk with Davies and asks him about his claim that he is an expert interior decorator.

04:35Davies seems to be perplexed at the claim which he did not make.

04:40However, he tries to correct Mick.

04:43Once, during the conversation, he calls Aston nutty.

04:48Mick gets furious and orders Davies to leave.

04:52He also gives Davies money to pay him out for his services which he has rendered them in that house.

04:59Aston enters the room.

05:01Both Aston and Mick have faint smiles on their faces.

05:06Mick departs.

05:07Davies attempts to plead with Aston again.

05:10He is more desperate than before.

05:13He promises to be better.

05:16Aston answers that Davies makes too much noise.

05:20Davies continues to protest as the curtain descends.

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