Betrayal

Open Space Theatre Company, Seagull Theatre, Lowestoft

Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 14 May 2012 and East Anglian Daily Times, 15 May 2012.

Open Space push at yet another boundary with Harold Pinter’s infrequently performed slow dance round the memories of shared guilt, secrets and lies.

Rich with the circular dialogue of life, the three-hander play exposes the deceits embedded in the relationships between a man, his wife and his best friend over years. Much of the narrative goes backwards in time as the pain and shallowness are unpacked.

Darren France is good as the friend/lover. Stephen Picton is excellent as the less than pure husband. Cathy Gill is just outstanding as the wife and mistress, juggling the men with her family but paying a high emotional price for her deceptions.

David Green directs. He has built a reputation for getting to the heart of a text through well-drawn characters, and in this, the self-absorption and self-deception provide a rich source of material which he exploits to perfection.

The scene changes with snippets of apt songs are handled smoothly as part of the performance and Alan Bolton as the mad Italian waiter is a mini delight.