Pinter — the only British playwright to be honoured with the suffix ‘esque’ — has written several excellent short plays. This collection covers the various facets of his work.

• One for the Road is a play of menace with an offstage suggestion of revolution.
• A Kind of Alaska is a haunting play based on a true story.
• The Dumb Waiter, while still having a touch of menace, is an extremely funny account of two low-grade crooks under pressure.

For those who do not know Pinter’s work, here is an excellent opportunity to appreciate his versatility.