WILLIAMSVILLE-The Rock River Players (RRP) present Harold Pinter’s Betrayal as its last show of the RRP summer season Aug. 21 to 30 at Williamsville Hall.
Pinter’s 1978 drama explores the corrosive, multifaceted nature of deception through a reverse-chronological love triangle. Tracing a nine-year affair between Emma, the wife of a publisher; Robert; and Jerry, Robert’s best friend and a literary agent, the play’s concept centers on how memory, time, and hidden motivations erode trust.
According to a news release, director Bahman Mahdavi said, “instead of moving forward, the play begins in 1977, two years after the affair has ended, and works backward to 1968, the night the affair began. This backward progression forces the audience to view characters’ actions and cheery facades in the present, knowing exactly where their lies will ultimately lead. It transforms the central mystery,” he adds, from ‘what will happen next?’ into ‘how and why did this love deteriorate?’
“While marital infidelity is the most obvious premise, Pinter investigates multiple layers of betrayal” within the realms of friendship, self-betrayal, and betrayal of time, Mahdavi explained,.
“The dialogue is aggressively polite, casual, and spare. The true emotional weight, rage, and desire are almost never spoken directly. Instead, the audience must decipher characters’ hidden motives by contrasting their polished, everyday small talk with what is already known about their illicit relationships.”
RRP’s Betrayal features Randy Lichtenwalner as Robert, Sean Fitzharris as Jerry, and Addie Mahdavi as Emma. The technical director is Jess Guerrero; serving as stage manager and set designer is Cherie Moran.
Betrayal runs Aug. 21, 22, 28, and 29 at 7 p.m., and Aug. 23 and 30 at 2:30 p.m., at Williamsville Hall, 35 Dover Rd., Williamsville. The venue is ADA compliant. For tickets in advance, $15‘$25, sliding scale, go to rockriverplayers.org.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.