AUTHOR: Arnold Wesker

TITLE OF THE PLAY: The Kitchen

EDITORIAL: Penguin

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 1961

PLACE OF PUBLICATION: London

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

PETER: He is the main character in the play. This character is totally surprising. He is violent, grumpy, nervous, jealous and his humour is sarcastic. Their partners seem to be fed up with him because he sometimes looks rude and deceptive. He is working for three years there and in spite of the fact that she is German, he speaks English very well. Peter is in love with Monique, a waitress who works in that restaurant, although she is married. His attitude with Monique is variable. He sometimes seems kind and caring, but he also looks rude and furious.

KEVIN: He is a new cook in the kitchen. It seems to be innocent and peaceful. Peter says to him that he has to learn very much. It is quite normal. Kevin is obedient and Marango seems to him a kind person.

GASTON: This character appears on stage at the beginning of the play arguing with Peter. His relationship with him is totally dreadful. Peter hurts Gaston. For this reason, he has a black eye and wants to take revenge on Peter.

PAUL: He is another cook. This character looks reasonable and sympathetic. It seems not to be like the others, but, later, he confesses Peter that he thinks he is a pig. In spite of that, Paul works hard and does not argue with anyone.

HANS: It is a very characteristic character in the play. He is German and speaks English very bad. Therefore, he often speaks German. Although he is a boy, he sometimes looks mature. While he is working, he likes singing and flirting with the waitresses.

MR. MARANGO: He is the boss in that restaurant. At the beginning, he looks kind and polite, but his behaviour during the play is quite violent and rude. Cooks and waitresses hate him.

MONIQUE: She is a waitress. Monique is the most characteristic waitress because she is the lover of Peter. It seems to be playing with him. She is married and seems to be in love, but she sometimes flirts with some man. She really is afraid of telling to her husband her unfaithfulness and frequently argues with Peter because of being jealous.

FRANK, ALFREDO, MAX, RAYMOND AND MICHAEL: They are another cooks. They are less important. Their relationship with Peter is not very good. They talk about social or trivial topics.

DEVELOPMENT

The play starts to develop the action in a kitchen, where a new day has come. Some cooks and waitresses are talking about Peter and Gaston. Something has happened. When they arrive, their attitudes are hostile and try to hurt each other. Situation is quite strained. At least, they start to work talking about some topics while they cook. Customers arrive and work multiplies. It is very funny to see how waitresses ask for food to the cooks and they serve it. Conversations among them are very scandalous because they think different things about anything. They think Peter is quite rude and grumpy. They do not like him. In this play, Peter talks about dreams to kevin, Paul, Dimitri and Hans. They have got different dreams, for example, Kevin dreams of a bed, Hans dreams of money, etc. Paul seems to be strange and sincere with Peter. At part two, Peter wants them to think about what they are doing. They work too hard. Here, he argues with Monique because he is very jealous. One of the waitresses, Winnie, passes out and Peter discusses with Marango because he has given some cutlets to the tramp. Monique cannot confess her unfaithfulness to her husband and Peter feels really bad and gets angry. Finally, he makes himself crazy and crashes all that he sees in the dining room.

SPACE: This play is developed in a place: the kitchen of a restaurant. All scenes are performed here. It is a closed place.

TIME: It is at present. They sometimes remember anything about when they are working in a different place, but scenes are performed in that time.

LITERARY RESOURCES: Language is not very simple. They often speak in their own language, as Hans. There is a curious phrase similar to a proverb: -"He makes a lot of noise but he's not really dangerous" ("mucho ruido pero pocas nueces").

PERSONAL OPINION: It seems to me a fantastic play. This is one of the plays that I like more. The conclusion for me is that they are working so hard that they are not able to appreciate the little details of this life. Peter insists on that and then, at the end of the play, he is a fool because of doing what he has done.