Lulu is listed in the introduction to
Pinter's fantastic play
The Birthday Party as
Lulu, a Woman, in her twenties . Although a small part, she fulfils a few essential roles in the play.
In Act 1, she is the first to explicitly tell the audience and Stanley how much of a non-conformist failure he is, and how much he needs to wash, go out, etc. To him, she exists only as a possible means of escape:
STAN: How would you like to go away with me?
LULU: What?
STAN: How would you like to go away with me?
LULU: Where would we go?
STAN: Nowhere-
LULU: Well that's a charming proposal.
STAN: There's nowhere to go, so we go just go, it wouldn't matter.
LULU (wary) : We might as well stay here.
In Act 2, her status as fertility symbol is full exploited by Pinter as she and Goldberg kiss and goo over each other on stage. She also serves to emphasise Goldberg's fake machismo and charm, which he really turns on for her. Both she and Meg get very giggly at the party, highlighting the austerity of McCann and especially Stanley.
In Act 3, she is used by Pinter to further reveal Goldberg's rotten core when she says how Goldberg has corrupted her with the last night's activities: 'You taught me things a girl shouldn't know until she's been married at least three times!...came into my room at night with a briefcase!'. She's not an especially endearing character, but neither is there really much to hold against her. Used by Goldberg, who leaves the morning after- 'You used me for a night! A passing fancy!... oh Nat, you took all those liberties only to quench your ugly thirst.', she leaves the play bitter over her poor treatment.