The following edition of the text was used in the creation of this study guide: Pinter, Harold. No Man’s Land. Faber, 2013. Kindle AZW file.

Act One opens with Hirst and Spooner, two men in their sixties. Hirst pours drinks while Spooner, dressed shabbily, stands in the center. Both drink heavily, with Hirst becoming especially inebriated. Spooner talks at length while Hirst remains mostly silent. They met at a pub earlier, but it's unclear why Spooner is now at Hirst’s home. Spooner introduces himself as a poet and supporter of the arts, probing Hirst about his past and wife, but Hirst refuses to engage. Hirst weakly throws a whisky glass at Spooner, then drunkenly collapses and crawls out of the room.

Offstage, a door slams. Foster, a casually dressed man in his thirties, enters and speaks familiarly with Spooner, before asking him who he is. Spooner replies that he is a friend of Hirst. Another man, Briggs, enters, and Foster introduces him. Briggs claims Spooner works collecting glasses at a pub, which Spooner denies, saying he is friends with the landlord. Spooner then claims to be a painter. Hirst returns, asks for whisky, and, appearing disoriented, speaks about a photo album. He repeatedly asks who Spooner is, with Foster repeating Spooner’s claim to be his friend.

Hirst delivers a rambling monologue blending past memories with a dream about someone drowning. Spooner interrupts, claiming he was the one drowning, and Hirst collapses. Foster curses at Spooner while Briggs helps Hirst up. Spooner insists on assisting, arguing that, as a peer, he understands Hirst better, irritating Foster. Foster warns Spooner that Hirst is wealthy and protected by him and Briggs, implying Spooner is unwelcome. He threatens Spooner. When Foster suggests attacking Spooner, Spooner protests, asserting his shared background with Hirst. Foster insists they protect Hirst’s artistic life and accuses Spooner of disrupting the household. Briggs moves toward Spooner menacingly but is interrupted when Hirst demands sandwiches. Briggs exits, and Hirst claims to recognize Spooner. Briggs returns, announces they’re out of bread, and escorts Hirst out. Hirst again insists he knows Spooner before leaving. Alone with Spooner, Foster asks if Spooner knows what it feels like when lights suddenly go out—then turns them off, plunging the stage into darkness.

The next morning, Spooner is alone onstage and finds the door locked. He sits and shivers until Briggs enters, asking if he is hungry. Briggs mentions that Hirst’s financial adviser canceled their meeting, leaving extra food, which Spooner accepts. Briggs brings the meal along with champagne, which Spooner drinks. As Spooner eats, Briggs watches him and recounts a bizarre story about meeting Foster on a street people couldn’t leave, noting that Foster would deny it. Briggs urges Spooner to finish the champagne, calling it “doctor’s orders” (50). When Spooner asks why he was locked in, Briggs repeats the phrase. Spooner claims he must leave for a literary magazine board meeting, but Briggs questions him about its details and Spooner does not leave. The phone rings, Briggs answers briefly, then exits, leaving Spooner alone.

Hirst enters with Briggs, addressing Spooner as Charles and speaking as if they are old friends. He monologues about their time at Oxford and a supposed affair between Hirst and Spooner’s wife, Emily. Unlike earlier, Hirst dominates the conversation while Spooner gives brief responses. Spooner mentions a shared acquaintance, Stella Winstanley, and reminds Hirst of his affair with her, which angered her brother, Bunty. Spooner claims he informed Bunty about the affair and boasts of his own affair with Arabella Hinscott, angering Hirst. They accuse each other of scandalous behavior, with Spooner criticizing Hirst’s poetry. Furious, Hirst demands claims not to know who Spooner is and asks why he is in his house. Hirst calls for whisky. Briggs enters and pours Hirst a whisky and soda as Hirst laments how much Charles/Spooner has changed. He asks Briggs for the whisky bottle, but Briggs refuses, claiming Hirst can’t fire him because he won’t leave. Hirst then asks Spooner, who hands him the whisky. Briggs pours himself a drink, prompting Hirst to call him impertinent.

Foster enters, telling Hirst it’s time for his walk, but Hirst refuses, claiming he is too busy. He asks Briggs for more champagne for Spooner, then insists he must write an essay but has forgotten the topic. Spooner offers to be his secretary, but Foster asserts that he already holds that role. Briggs suddenly becomes polite, offering Hirst a drink and closing the curtains at his request. Spooner again proposes becoming Hirst’s secretary, delivering a lengthy monologue listing his qualifications and promising a public reading of Hirst’s poetry. When he finishes, Hirst suggests they should change the subject for the last time. This leads to a surreal exchange with Foster about whether changing the subject for the last time means nothing else will ever happen. Hirst grows confused, rambling about memories and dreams. Spooner tells Hirst he is in no man’s land. Hirst responds, “I’ll drink to that,” (86) and the lights fade to black.