A slight ache: A well-to-do man, Edward, and his wife Flora find a match seller standing at their garden gate. He has been standing there for some time. They invite him into their comfortable house and try to determine who he is; his purpose. He remains silent. In the end the match seller becomes Barnabus, Flora's husband, and Edward becomes the match seller. Ambiguous. Also, Edward makes sure to insult Flora with belittling and sexist remarks throughout the play. And Flora tells the story of her rape. ( )

Three of the four sides of Pinter: master of innuendo ("The Collection"), purveyor of portent ("A Slight Ache"), apostle of head-scratch, until the scalp bleeds ("The Dwarfs"). What's lacking, thank heaven, is the ponderous flower-child. ( )