by Harold Pinter
A deeply disturbing play by the 2005 Nobel-prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter – The play investigates the web of lies and betrayals between three emotionally linked characters. Their conversations, presise and sparse as in all Pinter’s works, serve to show how we use language to suppress feelings and disguise truths.
A fascinating introduction to Pinter’s world – a world that is at the same time merciless and ironic, poetic and shocking…
Photos of 'Betrayal'
Extract from the script 'Betrayal'
| Jerry: | And she told you…last night…about her and me. Did she not? |
| Robert: | No, she didnt. She didn’t tell me about you and her last night. She told me about you and her for years ago. (Pause.) So she didnt have to tell me again last night. Because I knew. And she knew I knew because she told me herself four years ago. (Silence.) |
| Jerry: | What? |
| Robert: | I think I will sit down. (He sits.) I thought you knew. |
| Jerry: | Knew what? |
| Robert: | That I knew. That I’ve known for years. I thought you knew that. |
| Jerry: | You thought I knew? |
| Robert: | She said you didn’t. But I didn’t believe that. (Pause.) Anyway I think I thought you knew. But you say you didn’t? |
| Jerry: | She told you…when? |
| Robert: | Well, I found out. That’s what happened. I told her I’d found out and then she…confirmed…the facts. |