Inspired by Pinter's clandestine extramarital affair with
BBC Television presenter Joan Bakewell, which spanned seven years, from 1962 to
1969, the plot of Betrayal integrates different permutations of betrayal
relating to a seven-year affair involving a married couple, Emma and Robert,
and Robert's "close friend" Jerry, who is also married, to a woman
named Judith. For five years Jerry and Emma carry on their affair without
Robert's knowledge, both cuckolding Robert and betraying Judith, until Emma,
without telling Jerry she has done so, admits her infidelity to Robert (in
effect, betraying Jerry), although she continues their affair. In 1977, four
years after exposing the affair (in 1973) and two years after their subsequent
break up (in 1975), Emma meets Jerry to tell him that her marriage to Robert is
over. She then lies to Jerry in telling him that, "last night", she
had to reveal the truth to Robert and that he now knows of the affair. The
truth however, is that Robert has known about the affair for the past four
years.
Pinter's particular usage of reverse chronology in
structuring the plot is innovative: the first scene takes place after the
affair has ended, in 1977; the final scene ends when the affair begins, in
1968; and, in between 1977 and 1968, scenes in two pivotal years (1977 and
1973) move forward chronologically. The years between 1968 and 1977 occur in
reverse order; scenes within years 1977 and 1973 move forward.
1977
- Scene One: Pub. 1977. Spring.
Emma and Jerry meet for the first
time in two years. For seven years they had an affair and a secret flat, and
Jerry says no-one else knew. Now Emma is having an affair with Casey, an author
whose agent is Jerry and whose publisher is Robert, Emma’s husband. Emma says
she found out last night that Robert has betrayed her with other women for
years, and admits she revealed her affair with Jerry.
- Scene Two: Jerry's House. Later the same day.
Jerry meets Robert to talk about
the affair. Robert reveals that in fact he learned about it four years ago.
Since then their friendship has continued, albeit without playing squash.
1975
- Scene Three: Flat. 1975. Winter.
It is the end of Jerry and Emma’s
affair. They rarely meet, and Emma’s hopes that the flat would be a different
kind of home are unfulfilled. They agree to give it up.
1974
- Scene Four: Robert and Emma's House. Living room. 1974. Autumn.
Jerry visits Robert and Emma at
home. He reveals that Casey has left his wife and is living nearby. Jerry and
Robert plan to play squash, but Jerry reveals that first he is visiting New
York with Casey.
1973
- Scene Five: Hotel Room. 1973. Summer.
Robert and Emma are on holiday,
intending to visit Torcello tomorrow. Emma is reading a book by Spinks, another
author whose agent is Jerry. Robert says he refused to publish it because there
is not much more to say about betrayal. Robert has discovered that Emma has
received a private letter from Jerry. Emma admits they are having an affair.
- Scene Six: Flat. 1973. Summer.
Emma has returned from the holiday
with Robert in Venice. She has bought a tablecloth for the flat. Jerry reveals
that despite the affair he continues to lunch with Robert.
- Scene Seven: Restaurant. 1973. Summer.
Robert gets drunk over lunch with
Jerry. He says he hates modern novels, and that he went to Torcello on his own
and read Yeats.
1971
- Scene Eight: Flat. 1971. Summer.
Emma wants to know whether Jerry’s
wife suspects his affair, and announces that while Jerry was in America she
became pregnant with Robert’s child.
1968
- Scene Nine: Robert and Emma's House. Bedroom. 1968. Winter.
During a party Jerry surprises Emma in her bedroom and declares
his love for her. He tells Robert he is his oldest friend as well as his best
man.
The play had its American premiere on Broadway on January 5,
1980 at the Trafalgar Theatre where it ran for 170 performances until its close
on May 30, 1980. The show opened with Raul Julia as Jerry, Blythe Danner as
Emma, and Roy Scheider as Robert. A 2000 Broadway revival was staged at the
American Airlines Theatre with Juliette Binoche, Liev Schreiber, and John
Slattery. A 2013 revival starring Daniel Craig as Robert, his real-life wife
Rachel Weisz as Emma, and Rafe Spall as Jerry opened on October 27 at the Ethel
Barrymore Theatre, and set the Broadway record for highest weekly gross the
week ending 19 December 2013.
The 2019 West End production transferred to Broadway, once
again starring Tom Hiddleston, Zawe Ashton and Charlie Cox. It runs at the
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, with previews beginning August 14, 2019, and the
official opening on September 5 in a limited run scheduled through December 8.
The clean-lined sets and monochromatic costumes, along with Jon Clark’s
extraordinarily suggestive lighting, are visual definitions of the 14-year
marriage of Robert (Hiddleston) and Emma (Ashton), and the intrusive inclusion
of Emma’s lover Jerry (Cox). Penetrating strip lighting from above alternately
exposes their faces and blots out their expressions by suddenly thrusting them
into silhouette. And if that isn’t enough to illustrate the dynamic of their
intertwined relationships, a revolving stage keeps pushing the characters
together and then pulling them firmly apart in chilling tableaux of alienation.
The narrative unfolds in reverse, opening with a devastating
scene of the former lovers sitting in a café. Emma is clearly still attached to
Jerry and to her fond memories of their affair, while Jerry seems to have put
it far behind him. When Ashton delivers Emma’s line “Just like old times,” she
gives it a flirtatious flip – only to encounter Jerry’s indifferent response:
“Mmm.”
When she says that she has been thinking of him, Cox
delivers Jerry’s unkind reaction – “Good God. Why?” – as a verbal slap in the
face. (Emma doesn’t flinch, but I did.) And when she asks him if he ever thinks
of her, his answer – “I don’t need to think of you” – is pure ambiguity.
But what’s a Pinter play without menace? Here, it’s Robert –
in Hiddleston’s charged performance, a man who could either howl in pain or
take Jerry’s head off — lurking off to the side, but never out of sight. His is
a striking physical performance, as well as an emotionally complicated one. But
his commanding presence is something of a feint. Robert may look like a pillar
of strength, but of the three of them, he seems most likely to be permanently
scarred by the double betrayal of his wife and his best friend.
From that searing opening scene, the play unfolds in
reverse, all the way back to the beginning of this illicit affair, lightening
in mood as it moves through time. There are, however, certain topical refrains
that keep repeating themselves, like the two friends’ inability to set and
follow up on a date to play squash – a manly sport known to bring out the beast
in its players. It’s a cool Pinteresque joke to keep these two in a perpetual
standoff. Is each man afraid to make such a bluntly symbolic attack on his
rival, or are they both fearful of destroying their friendship?
Lloyd’s staging keeps all three characters onstage and
quietly observing throughout the play, which sounds creepy and sort of is. But
it’s also sort of trippy to catch glimpses of their hidden thoughts. Ashton is
the most articulate in this body-speak. With her long, long legs and incredibly
graceful movements, she gives Emma an enhanced presence that goes beyond words.
Even when she’s in repose, you can’t tear your eyes away from her.
Thanks to the precision of Lloyd’s direction, our eyes are
always focused on the proper bit of minimalist action – a quick sideways
glance, a casual crossing of the legs – while our heads are occupied with
Pinter’s layered thoughts. Of all Pinter’s often-puzzling work, this play is
the one that clearly speaks to you, thinks for you, and may even feel for you.
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre
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