Betrayal. (Acting Edition for Theater Productions)

The word, betrayal, is much stronger than the word, adultery. It characterizes this affair on many deeper levels. Each participant betrays their spouse, but because of the danger their liaisons pose, they betray their children and the stability of their lives as well. If they were discovered,they would have to face up to the pain they had caused, an unraveling would ensue, and thus, the insecurity of each family member would be uncovered, until all that remained would be doubt and fear. Their lives would never be the same, and the choices they might be forced to make, devastating. No one would be left unscathed! Pinter does not have to record this, or have his characters act it out. It is there, resting inside of the protagonists, waiting to appear and tear them apart.

Seems very standard sort of thing. No one seems particularly emotional over any of it. Robert, the husband, seems completely disinterested. Why did he ever marry her? Why are he & Jerry friends. Seems more comfortable for them than a true. Friendship. Wouldn't want to know either of them. Very shallow.

I had to read this for an English class. After reading the screen play I wanted to watch the play itself, but never got around to it. It is worth a read. Never understood screenplays and why they were equipped reading until after this one and the class I was taking. I even enjoy Shakespeare now.

I'm no Pinter expert, but I really admire this play. My first encounter was through the film version, but I have seen it on stage two or three times now. The technique of reversing the flow of time is very clever. It engages the audience much more with the plot development.

I liked how the whole timeline of the play was flipped, where the story was going back to the beginning of everything, to the beginning of the betrayal. It’s amazing to see how long people can decide to stay in a relationship even when there isn’t any love left anymore; even when it feels so empty. And they know that the best thing to do is to let go, because sometimes love just doesn’t workout. The question that I find myself having a hard time to answer is that, what keeps driving them to stay in a relationship like this?

I am not that impressed - it was chosen as a reading literature for a local group to which I belong.One actor, who was assigned one of the roles for the first production had the problems stating thatthe characters lack on human quality. And Times quoted that the play is 'blank endorsement of the obvious'.This was exactly what I felt after reading this play. It came as flat. Which I would like to summarize: 'Not worth the money spent'.

This play was part of a book discussion group and a performance by an excellent local theater group. (Sacramento) I was reluctant to engage because of my earlier experiences with Pinter, were unsatisfactory. This is not the case today. "Betrayal" is an excellent story.

A complicated story of betray among three main charters. It’s no longer a single betrayal of a person; it’s double. It brings betrayal, a controversial subject, to a whole new level; the complexity of betrayal is systematically enhanced. Sustainable romantic relationship is so vulnerable, and mutually beneficial relationships in sex and personal enjoyment become the only two things that last.