 |
| A
tale of emotion and betrayal |
|
|
 |
 |
THIS
STORY LAST UPDATED:
04 February 2003 1341 GMT
::
Betrayal - Harold Pinter
:: Bristol Old Vic
:: Until Sat 1st March
:: Starring Lesley Vickerage, Simon Shepherd, Jay Villiers
|
| Jay
Villiers and Lesley Vickerage play lovers Jerry and Emma |
|
|
|
|
|
This
is a beautifully crafted Pinter play, superbly acted and with
a highly creative use of lighting and simple, unfussy scenery.
The writer's talent for involving the audience in moments of
awkwardness and pathos are evident from the opening scene.
A wonderfully stilted conversation between wife Emma (Lesley
Vickerage) and lover Jerry (Jay Villiers) was perfectly timed,
leaving the audience torn between laughter and empathy.
The pace of the play changes skillfully with the scenes, from
a slow and awkward start.
The rapid exchanges between the seemingly indifferent Robert
(Simon Shepherd) and his best friend Jerry, who maintains a
long-term affair with his wife, are well played out.
Dying relationships
There are moments of comedy, before the audience finds itself
buffeted through the hopelessness of dying relationships.
Then there's the powerful moment at which the betrayal is first
discovered and the instant in the final scene when Robert becomes
complicit in his own betrayal - powerful stuff.
Plaudits too to Marco Rossi as the waiter, whose amusing but
compelling appearance struck a clever balance and showed Pinter's
attention to detail in even the more minor characters.
Here was a man happy to serve his customers while easily showing
himself to be their equal.
The revolving centre stage and clever use of lighting was described
by my 16-year-old daughter as " making you feel you were moving
back in time."
Indeed the audience was moved seamlessly back through the nine
years over which the story unfolded.
All in all, a great Pinter play with an excellent choice of
cast. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
You
are in:
:: Going Out |
|
|
|
|
|
::
Talk Bristol
Do you have a view on this story? Why not tell the rest of Bristol
on BBC Bristol's very own chat forum, Talk Bristol. |
|
| |
::
Live today
Exclusive live streaming and on-demand clips from the website
that loves Bristol |
|
::
Get in touch
If you want to get in touch with us, then send us an e-mail:
bristol@bbc.co.uk |
|
 |
|
