The Birthday Party premiered for the first time in 1958 at the Arts Theatre in Cambridge. Stanley, the main character of the play, finds refuge in a shabby seaside boarding house. Here, he feels safe, accepting the attentions of Meg, his landlady.

Until Goldberg and McCann arrive, making it clear that they are after him. After a ludicrous interrogation to which they subject him, they organize a Birthday Party that gradually turns into a nightmare. The question of who these characters are will remain unanswered.

However, they come to remind him of his obligations and to restore him to social order. The first deviation from the usual structured play lies in the element of uncertainty regarding the characters' motivations, their origins, and their very identity. (Martin Esslin on Pinter)