The document provides biographical information about British playwright Harold Pinter and analyzes his play "The Dumb Waiter". Pinter is known for his plays that sharply observe social and linguistic issues. "The Dumb Waiter" depicts the tense relationship between two hitmen, Ben and Gus, as they await orders in a basement. The dumb waiter, which delivers their instructions, increases the mounting tension between the two men until Ben ultimately betrays Gus. The play uses the dumb waiter as a symbol of subservience and the characters' inability to control their fate.