The Dumb Waiter is a dark, one-act comedy by Harold Pinter written in 1957 that combines the staccato rhythms of music-hall cross-talk and the urban thriller. This is a classic example of early Pinter – a minimum of information and an atmosphere of menace, working-class small-talk in a claustrophobic setting.
Ben and Gus are two contract killers waiting for their orders as who to kill next in a closed basement room. Witnessing their everyday banter gives an insight into the terrifying vision of the dominant-subservient battle for power, a battle in which societies and individuals engage as a part of daily existence.