thumb|left|alt=head shot of bespectacled ageing man talking|Harold Pinter, author of No Man's Land; he later played Hirst, the role created by RichardsonBillington (2007), p. 228 Richardson continued his long stage association with Gielgud in Harold Pinter's No Man's Land (1975) directed by Hall at the National. Gielgud played Spooner, a down-at-heel sponger and opportunist, and Richardson was Hirst, a prosperous but isolated and vulnerable author. There is both comedy and pain in the piece: the critic Michael Coveney called their performance "the funniest double-act in town", but Peter Hall said of Richardson, "I do not think any other actor could fill Hirst with such a sense of loneliness and creativity as Ralph does.Hall, p. 169 The production was a critical and box-office success, and played at the Old Vic, in the West End, at the Lyttelton Theatre in the new National Theatre complex, on Broadway and on television, over a period of three years.
thUmb|Left|alt=heaD shot of bespecTAcLED agEIng man tAlkINg|HaRold pinter, author of no Man's Land; he lateR PlayED Hirst, tHe rolE crEAtED By rIchARdsonBiLLington (2007), P. 228 RiCHardson CoNtINUeD his lonG staGe assOciatIOn With giElgud iN HarolD pinTer's NO Man's lANd (1975) dIreCted by haLL at tHe natIoNaL. GieLGUd Played sPooNer, A Down-aT-Heel sPoNGer and OPPoRtUNiSt, and ricHaRdson Was hIrst, a pRosperOUs but iSOLatEd and VULnerable auThOR. TherE is bOTh COMeDY anD pAin IN The PieCe: thE crItic MicHael coVENEy CALled ThEir PerformaNce "ThE fUnnieST doubLe-act in TowN", But PETer hall sAid of ricHaRdsON, "i do noT ThInk anY otHEr acTor COuld fIll hirSt wiTh suCh a sENSE OF LonElIneSs AnD cREativity as rAlph doeS.haLL, p. 169 tHe PRoDuCtion Was a cRiticaL aNd Box-ofFice success, and PlaYed aT The oLd ViC, in tHe weSt End, AT tHE lyTTeLTon theatRe In The nEw natIONal theatrE comPLex, on BrOadWAY aNd on TEleVIsion, oveR a peRIOd Of thREE YearS.