Literature: Harold Pinter

Silence. A man walks towards a lectern. He clears his throat. Speaks. Peering into the darkened room, he notices there are other people sitting, watching him. Two of them cough. Unsurprised by their lack of communication, he continues to speak.

On the eve of the National Theatre's revival of his play Betrayal, Harold Pinter makes a rare public appearance to read passages from his new book Various Voices. Alongside poems, short stories and human-rights appeals on behalf of Kurdistan and Nicaragua, savour lyrical cricketing paeans to Len Hutton and Somerset fast-bowler Arthur Wellard.

Lyttelton, National Theatre, South Bank SE1 (0171-452 3000) Mon, 6pm. "Various Voices: Prose, Poetry and Politics 1948-1998" is published by Faber at pounds 16.99