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[This comment may be too belated to assist poster 1, but in the light of the remark of poster 2, I add it.]

I think that the play "makes sense"--psychological sense. It starts out quite realistically, actually. Edward's "manhood" is threatened by the experience of trying to trap a wasp in the honey pot as he and his wife are taking tea in their garden, and it goes downhill from that "battle," which, in effect, he loses--he's "exhausted" by the effort. Edward's insecurities manifest themselves psychosomatically (his "slight ache" in his eye, e.g.). Flora seems stronger and more "resourceful" than he does.

Flora and Edward are not a young married couple; they are middle-aged, and their lives together appear to be rather "sexless"--she seems (in the manner of Meg in The Birthday Party) an "oversexed" frustrated wife.

Both Flora and Edward project their own fantasies and fears onto the silent "Matchseller" character who stands outside their garden gate and is invited in by Flora (a rather ironically symbolic name in the context of the play's situation) to (in effect) "take" Edward's "place." Edward ends up holding the Matchseller's tray in an image of their reversal of roles (a common feature of Pinter's early plots).

As A Slight Ache was first presented as a radio play (there is also a stage version), audiences did not know whether or not the Matchseller actually existed or whether or not he was merely a projection fo the characters' fantasies.

The play does seem "absurdist" in some respects, but in others, it seems "realistic" (if not "realism") (Cf. an early comment by Harold Pinter: "My plays are realistic, but what I am doing is not realism.")

After recording one's own responses to reading the play, I suggest doing some reading about the play in (print) published critical sources (including performance reviews). It might help give more perspective on your responses to it.

[To students: Please do not use my comments on the play in place of doing your own thinking about it; you will learn far more from doing further research on your own. But, this time, I thought I might help out a bit, if it could lead people to discover more about the play on their own (my hope).]

[Please note: I am not "the editor of The Pinter Review," but rather the Bibliographical Editor of The Pinter Review. The Pinter Review has two co-editors, Francis Gillen and Steven H. Gale. Please see the thread(s) on The Pinter Review posted earlier for more information.]

In response to your specific request re: No Man's Land (a bit misplaced in this thread on ASA?):
I do not have a copy of the BBC Four presentation of No Man's Land (VHS/PAL) that I can distribute to others. Such videos and DVDs are copyrighted and protected by copyright from such duplication and distribution. (See the Interpol and FBI seals on such works.) The online catalog of The British Library and other academic and public libraries may enable you to view a lending library copy. You may also want to contact BBC Four or online distributors directly for help with locating a copy of it (and if you can view only NTSC, how to view a VHS/PAL videotape). Perhaps if you leave your e-mail address or open up your "ezinbox feature," you can make arrangements to borrow such a copy with someone via private messaging or e-mail. I am sorry that I cannot be of any further help in this regard.

Please see the links on this site (HaroldPinter.org) and earlier Forum threads re: Pinter at the BBC for further information and help with locating such resources. I've bumped another relevant thread fyi: What of the BBC series and other teleplays/films? (direct link).

You may also want to visit the website of the Harold Pinter Society for related resources. (See the links on the home page of HaroldPinter.org.)

[Addendum: Just thought I'd mention too that in a past thread I explained that a videotape of the original Royal National Theatre Gielgud/Richardson stage production f No Man's Land (filmed for the BBC Four video) may be viewable at the National Theatre off site archives in suburban London. See the NT website for details about it--provided in one of my earlier threads.]

[General note: This Forum is not a place to make requests that could breach copyright. (See earlier threads.) ]