It was produced in the Lyttelton auditorium of the National Theatre, London, on 24 November 1998, with the following cast:
EMMA: Imogen Stubbs
JERRY: Douglas Hodge
ROBERT: Anthony Calf
A WAITER: Arturo Venegas
Directed by Trevor Nunn
Designed by Es Devlin
It was produced by the Peter Hall Company at the Theatre Royal, Bath, on 9 July 2003, with the following cast:
EMMA: Janie Dee
JERRY: Aden Gillett
ROBERT: Hugo Speer
A WAITER: James Supervia
Directed by Peter Hall
Designed by John Gunter
This production transferred to the Duchess Theatre, London, on 8 October 2003.
It was produced at the Donmar Warehouse, London, on 21 July 2007, with the following cast:
EMMA: Dervla Kirwan
JERRY: Toby Stephens
ROBERT: Samuel 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?
