Sport for Jove’s production of Betrayal at the Old Fitz Theatre presents an opportunity to experience a fine representation of one of English playwright Harold Pinter’s quintessential works.
Known for his minimalistic approach to drama, often bedded in the ordinary, this 1978 text is regarded as one of Pinter’s essential works displaying his economical dialogue that often masks deep conflicts.
Betrayal’s examination of a many-layered web of extramarital affairs between friends finds its origins in a seven-year affair Pinter had with a television presenter while he was married to actress Vivien Merchant.
Set in reverse chronological order, it is the story of literary agent Jerry (Matt Hardie), who is married, his gallery owning girlfriend, Emma (Ella Scott Lynch), who is married to Robert (Andrew Cutcliffe), a book publisher who works at the same company as Jerry, and is his best friend and frequent luncheon partner.
Told in nine scenes, the first scene, set in their secret flat, has Emma telling Jerry that she has told Robert of the affair and that she is having an affair with one of Jerry’s clients who is published by Robert.
The reverse order sees us post breakup of the affair in the first two scenes, while the final scene is where Jerry first tells Emma of his attraction to her.
Betrayal is an acute examination of the intricacies of people in their mid to late thirties and how they construct their realities while others deconstruct them.
Their language is crisp and full of pauses that can convey extra meaning or enough time to construct the next sentence and belongs firmly to the English middle class.
It is also full of ambiguity designed to hide true emotions, while never betraying an outer veneer of politeness and the maintenance of civility. In the end all of the characters, along with each other, have betrayed their truer selves.
Director Cristabel Sved has stayed close to the text and its intent to be a portrayal of the mores of a particular social class that forty years on from its debut it is still an incisive work.
The minimalist set by Melanie Liertz works a treat using the positioning of chairs combined with projections onto the backdrop (Verity Hampson and Luna Ng), though the use of stills are two infrequent to have an impact.
Composer Steve Toulmin and sound designer Johnny Yang’s inclusion of Bryan Ferry’s Love of the Drug and the Rolling Stones Jumping Jack Flash ad the perfect aural colour to the era.
Cast Ella Scott Lynch, Andrew Cutcliffe and Matt Hardie are all well matched, with Cutcliffe’s Robert displaying particular menace as he almost manipulates the affair between Jerry and Emma in order to give himself room to conduct his own affairs. Diego Retamales has a star turn as the Waiter.
Betrayal is Pinter at his best and this Sport for Jove production does a fine job of presenting it.
Betrayal
Old Fitzroy Theatre, 129 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo (Sydney)
Performance: Tuesday 22 July 2025
Season continues to 10 August 2025
Information and Bookings: www.sportforjove.com.au
Image: Sport For Jove presents Betrayal – photo by Kate Williams
Review: John Moyle