In the close quarters of the Old Fitz Theatre, there’s nowhere to hide; from the actors, from the truth, or from yourself. Harold Pinter’s Betrayal, in a striking new production by Sport For Jove, crackles with tension and uncomfortable humour. Director Cristabel Sved has crafted something taut, intimate and unflinchingly honest. In a world of noise, this quiet play speaks volumes.
Betrayal premiered in London in 1978, inspired in part by Pinter’s own extramarital affair. It quickly became a modern classic, winning the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1979. What sets Betrayal apart is its signature reverse chronology – starting at the end of the affair and working backwards, revealing not just what happened, but the slow, aching erosion of trust over time.
We are told information we believe to be true, only for the next scene (or previous one chronologically) to contradict it. The play has had numerous revivals, including a 2019 West End production starring Tom Hiddleston. But there’s something particularly potent about seeing it here: small, refined, and unfiltered.
The story centres on a triangular web of relationships: Emma (Ella Scott Lynch), her husband Robert (Andrew Cutcliffe), and Robert’s best friend Jerry (Matt Hardie), who is also Emma’s lover. Over nine scenes, we trace the affair in reverse – from disillusionment to discovery, to desire. But the plot is almost secondary. Underlying that is an exploration of silence, of things not said, and of the different betrayals – romantic, platonic, personal – that slowly unravel the intimacy they each desire.
From the first moment, I was struck by the stillness. Not a lack of energy, but a kind of charged tranquillity; every gesture loaded, every pause meaningful. Melanie Liertz’s stripped-back set and costume design allows the performers nowhere to hide, which is exactly the point. The staging is sparse, elegant: a few simple pieces of furniture, soft lighting, and an ever-present sense of distance between the characters, even when they’re physically close.
Ella Scott Lynch gives a mesmerising performance as Emma, both guarded and vulnerable. Her presence anchors the production; she plays Emma not as a victim or villain, but as a woman quietly fighting to be heard.
Andrew Cutcliffe’s Robert is cool, controlled, but simmering with suppressed emotion. His comic timing brings moments of unexpected humour that make the heartbreak hit harder in the ‘Torcello’ scene.
Matt Hardie as Jerry exudes charm and desperation in equal measure, a man slowly undone by the very intimacy he sought.
Cristabel Sved’s direction is meticulous. She trusts Pinter’s text – and her actors – to do the heavy lifting. The classic Pinter pauses are as important as the lines, and the transitions help to draw you in with clarity and restraint.
The intimacy of the Old Fitz works to the play’s advantage: every breath and glance is magnified. At times, it feels like eavesdropping on a private moment. The audience truly becomes a fly on the wall.
And that’s what Betrayal does so brilliantly. It doesn’t ask big questions. Instead, it lingers in the subtle, shifting emotional landscapes: the moment someone looks away too quickly, the lie half-swallowed, the truth no one wants to speak.
And of course, the biggest betrayal isn’t necessarily the affair; it’s what each character is willing to believe, or ignore, to preserve their version of the truth. The performances are precise and piercing, the direction refined, and the impact lingers long after the curtain call.
Betrayal is presented by Sport For Jove and runs to 10 August at Old Fitz Theatre, 129 Dowling Street Woolloomooloo, NSW 2011.
Tickets: https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/book-now
Website: https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/betrayal
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/oldfitztheatre/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/sportforjove/
Photo credits: Kate Williams
