Betrayal is a contemporary play that tells the story of the two lovers Emma and Jerry - and Robert, Emma’s husband and Jerry’s best friend. Having a different and unique way of breaking the chronology of the facts, Betrayal makes a great job at captivating the audience by the great dialogs and the curiosity of the past, since we already know the end of their story since the first two scenes of the play.
At the same time that I like that the playwright doesn’t give a specific way to show the year and moment in the story each scene is, giving the producers, directors and actors of each production the freedom to explore and create, I also feel like some of the scenes start in a confusing way that could have been avoid with a more clear way to differentiate every moment. For instance, the first time we are travelled back in time is in the third scene, which starts with a conversation that could easily happen in the same year as the first two scenes. And when there are some informations that conflict with the begging, which I believe is the way to “show it happens in the past”, the audience gets confused before acknowledging what’s happening.
That’s is why I think Betrayal is a playwright that, when combined with a great direction, might be one of the best I’ve ever read. Because it’s such a simple story and play, but so full of heart and creativity! If it is produced just as it’s written it’ll probably feel confused to the audience - although it will stay a great play because the story is so well created and developed. But, if a great director with a good understanding of the text, the playwright should be elevated and the brilliant ideas of Harold Pinter will leave the paper as it properly should.
One thing that I really like about the show is that, since the name of it, it clearly talks about a story of betrayal and cheating, not about love! It shows that, even though Jerry and Emma were in love, since the first scene they were scared of anyone else knowing and that they knew it was wrong. The play shows the story of a couple in love and how that relationship came to an end, but most importantly it tells the story of lying and hurting people. It never glamours and romanticizes cheating. It doesn’t crucify it either, it just tells the story, without having an opinion.
To sumarize, Betrayal is a great play with a creative way to tell a simple, but interesting story that, smartly, doesn’t give all the answers and ideas to produce the play and show what needs to be shown, causing a very different production of the play every time it gets on a stage - I hope, since I have never seen a performance of it. Betrayal has a brilliant playwright, but its strength is in the actors’ and director’s ideas.
“I believe he’s having an affair with my wife. We haven’t played squash for years.”
