Family Voices

"Family Voices" is a play by Harold Pinter. It was originally written in 1980 as a radio play and was first broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on January 22, 1981. The cast included Michael Kitchen, Peggy Ashcroft, and Mark Dignam. It was directed by Sir Peter Hall. On February 13, 1981 the play received a platform performance at London's National Theatre, with whom Harold Pinter had been closely associated for several years. The cast and director were the same.

Family Voices tells the story of a mother, father, and son through the words of their letters to one another. The son has moved off to the city and is surrounded by odd characters and circumstances. The mother, who apparently never receives her son's letters, questions angrily why her son never responds to her letters, and brings news of his father's death. Before the play is over even the father gets a word in from the grave, "Just to keep in touch," as he says in his letter.

Family Voices, albeit more a series of monologues than continuous play, dwells on many themes and employs stylistic traits often seen in Pinter. The characters are absurd and surrounded by absurd circumstances. They have trouble communicating with one another, resulting in more intense attempts at communication that only serves to make the situation more absurd.