Betrayal. Harold Pinter
West
A WAITER: Paul Di Rollo
Directed by Roger Michell
Designed by William Dudley
It was produced at the Harold Pinter Theatre (formerly Comedy Theatre), London, on 16 June 2011, with the following cast:
EMMA: Kristin Scott Thomas
JERRY: Douglas Henshall
ROBERT: Ben Miles
A WAITER: John Guerrasio
Directed by Ian Rickson
Designed by Jeremy Herbert
CHARACTERS
EMMA
JERRY
ROBERT
In 1977 Emma is thirty-eight
Jerry and Robert are forty.
The play can be performed without an interval
or with an interval after Scene Four.
Betrayal
1977
SCENE ONE
Pub. 1977. Spring.
Noon.
EMMA is sitting at a corner table. JERRY approaches with drinks, a pint of bitter for him, a glass of wine for her.
He sits. They smile, toast each other silently, drink.
He sits back and looks at her.
JERRY Well . . .
EMMA How are you?
JERRY All right.
EMMA You look well.
JERRY Well, I’m not all that well, really.
EMMA Why? What’s the matter?
JERRY Hangover.
He raises his glass.
Cheers.
He drinks.
How are you?
EMMA I’m fine.
She looks round the bar, back at him.
Just like old times.
JERRY Mmm. It’s been a long time.
EMMA Yes.
Pause.
I thought of you the other day.
JERRY Good God. Why?
She laughs.
JERRY Why?
EMMA Well, it’s nice, sometimes, to think back. Isn’t it?
JERRY Absolutely.
Pause.
How’s everything?
EMMA Oh, not too bad.
Pause.
Do you know how long it is since we met?
JERRY Well I came to that private view, when was it—?
EMMA No, I don’t mean that.
JERRY Oh you mean alone?
EMMA Yes.
JERRY Uuh . . .
EMMA Two years.
JERRY Yes, I thought it must be. Mmnn.
Pause.
EMMA Long time.
JERRY Yes. It is.
Pause.
How’s it going? The Gallery?
EMMA How do you think it’s going?
JERRY Well. Very well, I would say.
EMMA I’m glad you think so. Well, it is actually. I enjoy it.
JERRY Funny lot, painters, aren’t they?
EMMA They’re not at all funny.
JERRY Aren’t they? What a pity.
Pause.
How’s Robert?
EMMA When did you last see him?
JERRY I haven’t seen him for months. Don’t know why. Why?
EMMA Why what?
JERRY Why did you ask when I last saw him?
EMMA I just wondered. How’s Sam?
JERRY You mean Judith.
EMMA Do I?
JERRY You remember the form. I ask about your husband, you ask about my wife.
EMMA Yes, of course. How is your wife?
JERRY All right.
Pause.
EMMA Sam must be . . . tall.
JERRY He is tall. Quite tall. Does a lot of running. He’s a long distance runner. He wants to be a zoologist.
EMMA No, really? Good. And Sarah?
JERRY She’s ten.
EMMA God. I suppose she must be.
JERRY Yes, she must be.
Pause.
Ned’s five, isn’t he?
EMMA You remember.
JERRY Well, I would remember that.
Pause.
EMMA Yes.
Pause.
You’re all right, though?
JERRY Oh . . . yes, sure.
Pause.
EMMA Ever think of me?
JERRY I don’t need to think of you.
EMMA Oh?
JERRY I don’t need to think of you.
Pause.
Anyway I’m all right. How are you?
EMMA Fine, really. All right.
JERRY You’re looking very pretty.
EMMA Really? Thank you. I’m glad to see you.
JERRY So am I. I mean to see you.
EMMA You think of me sometimes?
JERRY I think ofyou sometimes.
Pause.
I saw Charlotte the other day.
EMMA No? Where? She didn’t mention it.
JERRY She didn’t see me. In the street.
EMMA But you haven’t seen her for years.
JERRY I recognised her.
EMMA How could you? How could you know?
JERRY I did.
EMMA What did she look like?
JERRY You.
EMMA No, what did you think of her, really?
JERRY I thought she was lovely.
EMMA Yes. She’s very . . . She’s smashing. She’s thirteen.
Pause.
Do you remember that time . . . oh God it was . . . when you picked her up and threw her up and caught her?
JERRY She was very light.
EMMA She remembers that, you know.
JERRY Really?
EMMA Mmnn. Being thrown up.
JERRY