Betrayal

 

Betrayal is a back-to-front love affair story that delves into the deception, passion and consequences of infidelity. The play starts at the end and finishes at the beginning, yet all the while the audience are left wondering “what will happen next?”

Presented by Queensland Theatre CompanyCremorne Theatre, QPAC

Friday, 13 September, 2010

Betrayal is a back-to-front love affair story that delves into the deception, passion and consequences of infidelity. The play starts at the end and finishes at the beginning, yet all the while the audience are left wondering “what will happen next?”

The gradual unravelling of how Robert’s wife Emma, became the lover of his best friend, Jerry, creates a layered and unsettling drama. The pauses and minimal text mean it can feel slow at times, but if you’ve got the patience it’s worth the wait.

It is amazing how writer Pinter made so little say so much. Director Jon Halpin accentuated the play’s undertones brilliantly. The intensity between characters was gripping and very well played by cast Paul Bishop, Sibylla Budd and Hugh Parker. The complexity of their motives and thoughts were expressed predominantly by body language and facial expressions. The text was simply their guide.

Bishop plays self-indulgent literary agent, Jerry, who is the best friend and business associate of publisher Robert, played by Parker. Robert’s wife Emma, played by Budd, runs an art gallery and is another link, unbeknownst to Robert, which ties the two friends together. In the opening scene, Emma and Jerry are meeting for a drink two years after ending their affair. There is a wicked tension in the air that is ultimately explained by jumping back in time to the development of their relationship. Through this mysterious and fascinating way of story-telling, the audience learns that what you see is not necessarily what you get. There are two particularly exceptional scenes, one being when Jerry inadvertently reveals to Robert of his long affair with Emma. Both Bishop and Parker are amusing and frank in this scene, and the direction of their conversation is unexpected. Budd and Parker created a fiery atmosphere when in Italy she reveals her affair. Her stillness and silence spoke loudly while she feared for Robert’s reaction. Also significant was the change in Emma and Jerry throughout the rewind. At the start of the play they are reserved, empty and almost cynical. When we eventually back-track to the start of the affair, they are filled with excitement. It was sad to realise in the end what the affair does to them all.

An industrial-warehouse feel set design by Bruce McKinven was the ideal backdrop for Matt Scott’s lighting which took the setting through various seasons and locations. Initially I thought the block arrangement would be too harsh against the story, but instead I found it very versatile and fitted all tones. The stage was complemented by projections of poetry excerpts and the mood set by calming sound from Brett Collery.
The unspoken words and the subtle nuances in this play are invaluable to its success. Only a group of dedicated and talented people with a thorough understanding of the script could pull it off as well as this creative team has.

Betrayal is showing until the 9th of October

Bookings at www.qldtheatreco.com.au