Masquerade’s production of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal opens at Blue Box at M Space later this month. Laura Bonnici speaks with director IAN MOORE to find out more.

“The text is timeless, like Shakespeare or the Greeks,” says Ian Moore, director of the new production of iconic playwright Harold Pinter’s Betrayal, which opens at Blue Box at M Space on January 20. “The title says it all – it shows betrayal, how people betray each other, their best friends, wives, lovers and how easily they betray themselves. The play doesn’t moralise or judge, it leaves the audience to do that. And there’s plenty of witty conversation – Pinter’s dialogue always dazzles – so it's an enjoyable ride but in equal measure, devastating; as emotionally devastating today as it was on the day it opened in 1978.”

Widely considered as Pinter’s most accessible work, Betrayal is a mesmerising masterpiece of relationships and adultery. The story dissects a love triangle, presenting a compelling portrait of both the relationship between lovers and the competitiveness of male friendships. Placing the audience in the tantalising position of knowing more about what is happening than the characters, secret and lies unravel as time spools backwards, revealing the first sparks of passion ignited between Emma and Jerry and the moments throughout their seven-year affair.  

Betrayal stars Naomi Said as Emma, Edward Caruana Galizia as Jerry and Nicholas Jackson as Emma’s husband and Jerry’s close friend, Robert. Completing the moving atmosphere, the play will also feature live music from top local violinist Sean Borg.

“My best work comes from a collaborative approach,” continues Moore. “Trusting the cast to find the beats and moments within the structure was a joy and a huge challenge in my previous productions – but Betrayal is a different beast. The narrative is simple but the playing is difficult, as it isn't linear. Edward, Naomi and Nicholas have pushed me to focus completely on helping them tell the story with a great deal of clarity and find the mood and tone of each scene. It's a challenge I enjoy.”

It's a joy to be staging such an amazing piece of writing with Malta's foremost producing company- Ian Moore

The play’s staging also stays true to the original text, he goes on. “As a company, we played with the idea of a contemporary setting, but wanted to honour the wishes of the author and highlight that the themes are relevant within any period. Our production is as spare and minimalist as Pinter’s script. Played in the round, the audience become complicit in the deception.

The set is an ambient grey space, and the stage is blank except for the occasional addition of a chair or table, while live music helps highlight the passage of time. I hope to remind theatregoers of the pleasure of pure drama. The performers beautifully bring Pinter’s words to life. Our goal is to put Pinter’s closed world onstage and trust that the audience will remain engaged from beginning to end.”

Betrayal is one of two upcoming productions that also mark two major milestones for Masquerade Malta: the company’s 25th anniversary theatre season and the 10th anniversary of Blue Box at M Space.

“It's a joy to be staging such an amazing piece of writing with Malta's foremost producing company. Being part of Masquerade's theatre history is a privilege and a pleasure,” says Moore, in conclusion. “The company has been part of the rich tapestry of talent across the islands for many years and has touched everyone with the work they deliver.

"Pinter, not unlike Masquerade, is an icon within the arts; playwright, performer, producer and director, the man touched every base within the theatre industry – as does Masquerade, as an arts organisation. Staging his seminal work sets the bar high for the forthcoming season, a season we hope many will remember as one of the best, offering a wide variety of choice, which is exactly the legacy Masquerade creates.”

Performances of Betrayal will take place on 21-22, 26-29 January 2023 at Blue Box at M Space. For more information and to book tickets, visit www.masquerademalta.com.